Luke Donald captures WGC-Accenture Match Play trusting Titleist.
Fairhaven, MA (February 28, 2011) – Winning at golf’s highest level takes a tremendous amount of talent and poise. Titleist Pro V1x loyalist Luke Donald demonstrated both in his record-setting performance at the prestigious WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Donald led Titleist golf ball loyalists to five wins across the worldwide professional tours this week, advancing the win count of the #1 ball in golf to 19, more than three times the nearest competitor with six and more than all competitors combined.
– Playing the fewest holes by a winner in event history, Donald never trailed in any of his six matches, and the victory moved him to a career-high No. 3 in the World Golf Rankings.
– Titleist golf ball players have now won eight of the first nine events to begin the PGA Tour season, including Aaron Baddeley (Pro V1x), who won last week’s Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles. Also finding the winner’s circle this year are: Mark Wilson (Pro V1x/Sony Open, Waste Management Phoenix Open), Jonathan Byrd (Pro V1/Hyundai Tournament of Champions), Bubba Watson (New Pro V1x/Farmers Insurance Open) and D.A. Points (Pro V1x/AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am).
– Donald’s victory at the WGC-Match Play will go down as one of the most dominant performances in tournament history, as he became only the second winner to never reach the 18th hole in any of his matches.
– Throughout the week, Donald frustrated his opponents with the masterful short game for which he is renowned, trusting his Pro V1x golf ball on his scoring shots to get up-and-down on several occasions from unfriendly and frosty terrain.
– Donald was one of 36 players in the 64-player bracket that trusted Titleist golf balls, more than all other competitors combined. Titleist was also first in Iron Sets (19), Hybrids (17) and Sand, Lob and Approach Wedges (50).
• – Meanwhile, in Mexico, Titleist Brand Ambassador Johnson Wagner won the Mayakoba Golf Classic in a sudden-death playoff over New Pro V1x loyalist Spencer Levin, tapping his Pro V1x golf ball in for par on the first playoff hole for his second career PGA Tour title.
– Wagner and Levin each posted four rounds in the 60s, both finishing regulation at 17-under 267. Levin closed with a Sunday best 6-under 65, while Wagner’s final-round bogey-free 67 was highlighted by an up-and-down at the par-4 16th. “I laid it up and made an unbelievable up-and-down,” said Wagner. “One of the best up-and-downs I’ve ever made in my life.”
– What’s in Wagner’s Bag?: Pro V1x golf ball, 909D3 (8.5) driver, 904F (13.0) fairway metal, AP2 (3) and CB (4-9) irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled pitching (47), approach (53) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron prototype putter.
– For the week, Wagner finished tied for fourth in greens in regulation (79.2 percent), seventh in putts per greens in regulation (1.689), and eighth in putts per round (28). The champion was the fourth player on the 2011 PGA TOUR to win relying upon a Scotty Cameron by Titleist putter.
– Wagner was one of 88 players in the field that trusted a Titleist golf ball, more than five times the nearest competitor with 16.
– Seven of the Top 10 finishers on the leaderboard also relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success, including Titleist Brand Ambassadors Bobby Gates and Jarrod Lyle, along with Pro V1 loyalists Briny Baird and Brian Gay, all of whom tied for fifth.
– Titleist also was first in Sand, Lob and Approach Wedges (105); and Putters (52).
• NATIONWIDE TOUR: In the season-opening event, Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the Panama Claro Championship with 91 players, more than seven times the nearest competitor. The winner relied upon the New Pro V1x golf ball, posting four rounds in the 60s for an 11-under 269 total.
Titleist also was first in Iron Sets (37); Sand, Lob and Approach Wedges (124); and Putters (59).
• SUNSHINE TOUR: Titleist Brand Ambassador George Coetzee shot a final-round 8-under 64 to win the Telkom PGA Championship. Coetzee (Pro V1x) finished with a 27-under 261 total, two shots ahead of fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Neil Schietekat.
– What’s in Coetzee’s Bag?: Pro V1x, 910D2 (9.5) driver, 910F (15.0) fairway metal, 909H (19.0) hybrid, CB (4-PW) irons, Vokey Design approach (52), sand (56) and lob (60) wedges.
– Coetzee and Schietekat were two of 107 players in the event that trusted Titleist golf balls, more than three times the nearest competitor with 35.
• AUSTRALASIAN TOUR: It was an all-Titleist finish at the Queensland PGA Championship as New Pro V1 loyalist Gareth Paddison led a 1-2-3-4-5 finish for Titleist golf ball loyalists. Paddison fired a final round 4-under 66 en route to an 18-under 262 victory total, two shots better than Pro V1 loyalist Kieran Pratt and New Pro V1 loyalist Terry Pilkadaris. New Pro V1 loyalist Peter Wilson finished fourth, while Pro V1 loyalist Mike Hendry placed fifth.
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at The Queensland PGA Championship with 99 players, nearly five times the nearest competitor with 21.
• LPGA: Forty-three players at the HSBC Women’s Champions trusted Titleist golf balls, more than six times the nearest competitor with seven and more than all competitors combined. Yani Tseng (Pro V1x) finished solo 3rd, three shots behind the winner and ending her consecutive win streak at four, but maintaining her position as the number one ranked player in the world.
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Titleist and FootJoy comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE – FO).
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