Ranks 1st in total putts and putts per GIR in first ever PGA Tour victory
SuperStroke Golf staff member Matt Bettencourt earned his first ever victory on the PGA Tour at the Reno-Tahoe Open Sunday.
Led by an impressive display of putting, the former #1 ranking Nationwide Tour player used his oversized SuperStroke putter grip to perfection at the Reno-Tahoe event leading all players in Putts Per Round average and Putts Per GIR. Bettencourt finished the event with an amazing 25.8 putts per round average, featuring two rounds of only 24 putts.
Bettencourt now ranks 4th on the PGA Tour in Putts Per Round average for the season with an average of 28.09 per event.
His final score of 277 (-11) earned him the largest paycheck of his career at $540,000. Bettencourt turned pro in 2001 and bounced between the Nationwide Tour, Canadian Tour and Tarheel Tour searching for a breakthrough in his game. He found his answer when he started using a SuperStroke grip in 2008 on the Nationwide Tour. He was ranked 90th on the money list when he made the switch and went on to finish the year with two victories and three Top 10 finishes. His victory at the Nationwide Tour Championship propelled him to end the year #1 on the final official money list.
“I went from around 150 to the top 50 in putting,” said Bettencourt. “It’s made all the difference in the world for me. It’s taken my hands out of it. I got really back and forth with the belly putter. But with this SuperStroke Grip, it’s been fantastic. It really changed my game.”
Since graduating to the PGA Tour, Bettencourt has earned 4 top 25 finishes with the jumbo grip, including a Top 10 at the 2009 US Open and a T5th at the 2009 Memorial tournament. He has used the new Fatso model since the 2009 Byron Nelson Championship.
With the victory, Bettencourt earned 250 FedExCup points and jumped from 185th to 114th in the FedEx point standings. The win ensures PGA Tour exemption for Bettencourt until the end of the 2012 season. He also earns an invitation to the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits next month.
“I mean this win is just incredible for me,” said Bettencourt. “(It) gives me so many opportunities. You know, I’ve been struggling all year, but I never lost my wavering belief in my ability. And you know, now, I got an opportunity to make the playoffs, which is a really big thing. I have security for the next couple of years, which is all you can ask for. And I’m going to start at the SBS Champions in Maui next year, which, wow, it’s going to be pretty cool. I’m just going to ride this momentum and keep having fun and see how long I can play this year, so when I can make it into the playoffs like I did last year, and I believe in my ability, and I think I can go out there and win next week, too. I’m just really confident right now.”
The victory is the 8th on the PGA and Nationwide Tour for SuperStroke and parent company Tiger Shark Golf, further expanding their title as the winningest jumbo putter grip company and the #1 jumbo putter grips on the PGA Tour.
About the Fatso Grip
The Fatso grip, which measures 1.67 inches in diameter, is designed to take the wrists out of the putting stroke and relieve tension in the hands. Weighing in at 85 grams, the SuperStroke Fatso Lite is the biggest and lightest of its kind in terms of weight to size ratio. SuperStroke has been at the forefront of the jumbo grip phenomenon, a market that grew over 25% last year. Over 70 PGA Tour pros have put SuperStroke technology into play over the last three seasons. Jumbo grips enhance a pendulum stroke, and they are also proven to keep the putter head square. Other benefits include natural balance and set up, less putter head rotation, improved ball roll and greater distance control.
About Tiger Shark Golf
Tiger Shark Golf offers a variety of golf equipment with a specialty in grips, putters, complete sets, drivers, wedges and hybrids. Tiger Shark has more than 1,600 accounts across the U.S. and Canada including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Edwin Watts, Golfsmith, GolfTown, Roger Dunn, PGA Tour Superstores, Golf Headquarters, Carl’s Golfland and TGW.com. For more information about Tiger Shark or SuperStroke, call 1-800-667-0181 or visit www.tigersharkgolf.com or www.superstrokegrip.com.
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