Tops Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer on Old Course at St. Andrews
Fairhaven, MA (October 6, 2008) – Continuing a career year that already included a win at the Mercedes-Benz Championship and a position on the European Ryder Cup team, Robert Karlsson captured the Dunhill Links Championship in a playoff with fellow Titleist Brand Ambassadors Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer. Playing on the Old Course at St. Andrews, Karlsson advanced to the playoff following a final round seven-under 65, and won it with a birdie on the first extra hole. The victory vaulted Karlsson to the top of the European Tour’s Order of Merit, while Fisher and Kaymer, moved into the seventh and eighth positions, respectively. Karlsson also advanced to No. 8 in the Official World Golf Rankings, the first time he has cracked the Top 10. All three achieved their success trusting Titleist golf balls and golf clubs.
WHAT’S IN THE BAG?
Robert Karlsson: Titleist Pro V1x golf ball, 905R driver (9.5), 909F3 fairway metals (15, 18), ZM irons (4-P), Vokey Design approach (49) wedge, Vokey Design Spin Milled sand (56) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron GSS prototype putter.
Ross Fisher: Titleist Pro V1x golf ball, 905R driver (9.5), 695MB irons (2-9), Vokey Design pitching (48) and sand (54) wedges, Spin Milled lob (60) wedge, Scotty Cameron 303 SSS prototype putter.
Martin Kaymer: Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, 909F2 fairway metal (13), ZB irons (2-9), Vokey Design pitching (48), sand (54) and lob (58) wedges.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the event with 105 players, compared to 24 for the nearest competitor. The win was the 22nd by a Titleist golf ball player on the 2008 PGA European Tour, more than five times the nearest competitor with 4. The finish marked a record-setting 15th time that a PGA European Tour tournament was decided in a playoff this season.
PGA TOUR: Seven players tied for third place at the Turning Stone Resort Championship, two shots behind the winner. Among those finishing at seven-under 281, were Titleist Brand Ambassadors Davis Love III and Ryuji Imada, who relied upon the Pro V1x golf ball and new 909D3 drivers among their Titleist equipment for the their tee-to-green success. They were joined in the third position on the leaderboard by Pro V1x players Woody Austin and Mathew Goggin, and Pro V1 loyalists Robert Garrigus and Steve Allan. Love shot the best round of the tournament with a six-under 66 on Saturday.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Turning Stone Championship with 85 players, compared to 19 for the nearest competitor. The win is the 26th for Titleist golf ball players on the 2008 PGA TOUR, more than twice the nearest competitor with 11. Titleist was also the top choice in the wedge (128) and putter (60) categories, and second in drivers (34) iron sets (32).
LPGA TOUR: Song-Hee Kim posted her fifth top five finish of the year with a runner-up performance at the Samsung World Championship. Kim closed with a four-under 68 to finish one shot behind the winner. Fellow Pro V1 loyalist Angela Stanford finished in a four-way tie for third.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at The LPGA Samsung World Championship with 12 players in the limited field event, compared to five for the nearest competitor.
SOUTH AFRICA: Trevor Fisher captured the Sunshine Tour’s Seekers Travel Pro-Am, topping Titleist Brand Ambassador Desvonde Botes on the third hole of a sudden death playoff. Both players finished regulation at 10-under 206, one shot ahead of fellow Pro V1x players Albert Pistorius and Louis De Jager. It marked the third career victory for Fisher, who was playing in his first event in South Africa after successfully advancing through the PGA European Tour first stage of Q School. There were 49 (68%) Titleist golf ball players in the field of 72, compared to 19 for the nearest competitor.
WORLDWIDE WINS: Two more victories by players trusting the Titleist golf ball across the worldwide professional tours this week advances the 2008 Worldwide Win count to 137, compared to 29 for the nearest competitor.
TITLEIST TOUR BLOG: For daily notes from across the worldwide professional tours, please visit the Titleist Tour Blog at: http://titleistblog.com/
DIRECT FROM THE TOUR VIDEO: To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from every PGA TOUR event, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at: http://www.titleist.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1
TITLEIST GOLF CLUB LEADERBOARD: To learn about Titleist’s golf club success on the PGA Tour, the PGA Professional National Championship and at major amateur events throughout the year, visit the Titleist Golf Club leaderboard at: http://www.titleist.com/leaderboard/default.asp
Contact:
Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211)
