BEAVERTON, Ore. (January 11, 2010) – Charl Schwartzel’s victory at the PGA European Tour’s Africa Open this weekend underscores the early success Nike Golf athletes have found out of the starting blocks in 2010 with the help of Nike Golf’s new equipment. At the start of the 2010 season, Nike athletes have won twice on the PGA European Tour and have posted two top-10 finishes in the PGA Tour’s season opener at The SBS Championship, a limited field event.
Schwartzel’s win followed fellow Nike athlete Pablo Martin’s victory at the European Tour’s season opener, the Alfred Dunhill Championship. At the PGA Tour’s first event of the season, The SBS Championship, Nike athletes Stewart Cink and Paul Casey finished in the top 10 and Lucas Glover, who led the event for three rounds, finished the tournament tied for 14th.
Schwartzel, who joined Nike Golf in 2008, had a bag full of equipment from Nike’s VR line, including the new VR STR8-FIT driver that will become available on January 28, 2010. Ranking third in greens in regulation with an average of 81%, Schwartzel used the Nike VR Blades and VR wedges along with Nike’s successful ONE Tour D ball.
On the PGA Tour, both Cink and Casey used Nike’s new VR Tour drivers after switching in December of 2009. Also new to Cink’s bag from 2009, are Nike’s VR Split Cavity irons. Casey continues to use the Nike VR Blades. Both Casey and Cink used the highly anticipated Nike METHOD putters, which also will become available to consumers on January 28, 2010.
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Schwartzel’s Nike Arsenal
Driver: Nike VR STR8-FIT 8.5 degrees
Fairway Woods: Nike SQ II 13-degree #3 and 19-degree #5
Irons: Nike VR Blades (3-PW)
Wedges: Nike VR 54 and VR 60 degree
Ball: Nike ONE Tour D
Glove: Nike Dri-Fit Tour
Apparel: Nike Golf Tour Apparel
Footwear: Nike Tour Premium
Nike Golf’s 2010 International Victories
• Pablo Martin – Alfred Dunhill Championship (PGA European Tour)
• Charl Schwartzel – Africa Open (PGA European Tour)
Located in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great game by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable athletes to perform at their physical and mental peak. For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com
Contact:
Beth Gast
Nike Golf
503.532.8852
beth.gast@nike.com
Gretchen Wilhelm
Nike Golf
503.532.6236
gretchen.wilhelm@nike.com
