September 1, 2009; Phoenix, Arizona: PING pro Heath Slocum relied on a new G15 driver and i15 irons for his victory at the first playoff event of the FedEx Cup, PING reported today. This represents the first Tour victory for the new driver and irons that were introduced last month.
As the second-to-last player to qualify for the 125-man field, Slocum’s goal was to play well enough to be one of 100 players to advance to the next round of the playoffs. When he holed a 21-foot par on the final hole for the one-shot victory, he vaulted to third place in the point standings and assured himself of playing the remaining three FedEx Cup events, including the Tour Championship in his hometown of Atlanta.
“Overall, it was an incredible day, incredible experience,” Slocum said during his post-round press conference. “At the end of the day, the last putt was magical. I’ll remember that for the rest of my life.”
A steady week in all aspects of his game was the key to his success at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. His new G15 driver helped rank him 9th in accuracy and 22nd in distance for the four rounds. A new set of i15 irons put in play last week at the Wyndham Championship improved his iron game and produced the shot of the week. Trailing by two in the final round, he holed a 157-yard 7-iron shot on the 5th hole for eagle to earn a share of the lead that he never relinquished.
“As soon as I hit it, I knew I flushed it. It was going right at the pin,” said Slocum, who carded 14 birdies and two eagles for the week to finish nine-under-par. “I saw it hit and didn’t see anything else. I didn’t see it go in. The crowd went crazy. I was pretty excited.”
The win was the 35-year-old’s third career victory and first since 2005. His first place check was worth $1,350,000. He’s now 29th on the PGA Tour money list. In addition to his new driver and irons, Slocum played a Redwood Anser and a Tour-W wedge.
Contact:
Pete Samuels (602) 687-5487.
