Stricker, Donald, Ryu All Trust Titleist in Dramatic Victories
Fairhaven, MA (July 11, 2011) – Global success continued for Titleist across the world’s professional tours this week as Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker trusted the Pro V1x golf ball and a full bag of Titleist equipment to capture the John Deere Classic for a record third consecutive time. He was joined in the Titleist winners’ circle by Luke Donald, who extended his World No. 1 ranking at the Barclays Scottish Open with his third victory of the year. In addition, So Yeon Ryu topped fellow South Korean Hee Kyung Seo in a three-hole playoff to make her first career LPGA Tour win a major at the U.S. Women’s Open. Jeff Sluman won the First Tee Open for the third time in four years on the Champions Tour.
TITLEIST HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 10, 2011
PGA TOUR: It was a 1-2-T3 Titleist Brand Ambassador finish at the John Deere Classic, as Steve Stricker converted a 25-foot birdie putt from off the 18th green to win the event for the third straight year. The win marks the 11th career PGA Tour victory for Stricker, including his second this season. He captured the Memorial Tournament a month ago.
11 FOR 10: In addition to the top four finishers trusting Titleist equipment from tee-to-green, each of the 11 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon a Titleist golf ball for their success.
WHAT’S IN STEVE STRICKER’S BAG?: Pro V1x golf ball, Titleist 909D3 (8.5) driver, 906F2 (13.0) fairway metal, 909H (19.0) hybrid, AP2 irons (3-PW), Vokey Design sand (54) and lob (60) wedges.
THE WINNING BRAND: Stricker’s victory marks the 21st for Titleist players on the 2011 PGA TOUR, seven times the nearest competitor with 3. Titleist is also the top choice by more champions on the PGA Tour in the driver (9), iron (9), wedge (13) and putter (9/tied) categories.
BIRDIE-BIRDIE: Stricker birdied the final two holes to close with a 2-under 69 for a 22-under 262 victory total, edging rookie Kyle Stanley (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F.d fairway metal, 503i hybrid iron, MB irons, Vokey Design approach, sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Timeless prototype putter) by one shot. For Stanley, the runner-up performance marks his best career finish on the PGA Tour.
– Matt McQuillan (Pro V1, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metals, new CB prototype irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport Fastback putter) joined Stanley in notching his first career top-10 finish, firing a final round 8-under 64 to tie Zach Johnson (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 909F2 fairway metals, 909H hybrid, AP2 irons, Vokey Design wedges) for third place. Pro V1x loyalists Charles Howell III, who closed with an 8-under 64, and Chez Reavie, finished a further stroke back. NOTE: Learn about Matt McQuillan’s driver change on TEAM TITLEIST: http://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/default.aspx?sb=GolfClubBlog
JUST THE STATS: Stricker ranked first in birdies for the week with 25, while Stanley tied for second with 24. Stanley also led the field in Driving Accuracy, hitting 87.5% of fairways with his 910D3 driver. McQuillan, who averaged more than 310 yards in Driving Distance with the new setting change on his 910D3 driver, was among the top 10 in four key tee-to-green statistical categories, including: Driving Accuracy (T5/80.4%); Greens in Regulation (T6/77.8%); Sand Saves (T1/100%); Putts per Greens in Regulation (3rd/1.589).
TOP CHOICE: Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 111 players, more than eight times the nearest competitor with 13. Titleist also was first in iron sets (43), including 24 sets of new 712 prototype irons (7 AP2, 6 MB, and 11 CB sets in play); sand, lob and approach wedges (138); and putters (69). Titleist was second in drivers (42), including 38 910D2 or 910D3 drivers; and fairway metals (50).
EUROPEAN TOUR: Pro V1x loyalist and the No. 1 ranked player in the world, Luke Donald, captured his third title of the year, closing with a stellar 9-under 63 to secure victory at the Barclays Scottish Open. Donald, who also won the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play in February and the BMW PGA Championship in May, finished with a 19-under 197 at the rain-shortened event, four clear of fellow Pro V1x loyalist Fredrik Andersson Hed, who made a charge, closing with a tournament-best 10-under 62. Saturday’s round was washed out and the tournament was reduced from 72 to 54 holes.
– Seven players tied for third at 14-under 202, including Titleist Brand Ambassadors George Coetzee (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 910F.d fairway metal, 910H hybrid, CB irons, Vokey Design wedges), Martin Wiegele (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F.d fairway metal, CB irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron T10 Select Newport 2 putter) and Mark Tullo (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 910F.d fairway metal, 910H hybrid, AP2 irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron California Hollywood putter), as well as Pro V1x loyalists Nicolas Colsaerts and Angel Cabrera.
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball choice at the event with 92 players, more than four times the nearest competitor with 21.
LPGA TOUR: Pro V1 loyalist So Yeon Ryu captured the U.S. Women’s Open with a sensational six-hole finish at The Broadmoor. After a week of weather delays, Ryu had three holes remaining in her final round on Monday morning, sitting one shot behind the clubhouse leader and fellow South Korean, Hee Kyung Seo (Pro V1x).
After making pars at Nos. 16 and 17, Ryu birdied the final hole of regulation to force a three-hole playoff at 3-under 281. In the playoff, Ryu birdied Nos. 17 and 18 to win convincingly. She made an 8-footer for birdie on No. 17 and stuck her approach to 4 feet on No. 18 for her third birdie of the day.
At 21, Ryu became the third-youngest U.S. Women’s Open champion.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the U.S. Women’s Open with 112 players, more than eight times the nearest competitor with 14.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Jeff Sluman (Pro V1) closed with a 2-under 70 to win the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach for the third time in four years. Sluman, who posted five birdies and closed with three straight pars on Sunday, finished with a 10-under 206 victory total to seal his first win since this same event in 2009. Sluman also took the title in 2008, making Sluman the tournament’s only three-time winner.
Titleist Brand Ambassadors Jay Haas (Pro V1, 910D2 driver, 910F.d fairway metal, 910F fairway metal, 909H hybrid, CB irons, Vokey Design sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Studio Design putter) and David Eger (Pro V1, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metal, 910H hybrids, CB irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Concept 1 prototype putter) were among three players that tied for second place, two shots behind Sluman.
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 52 players, more than four times the nearest competitor with 12.
– Titleist also was first in iron sets (25), and second in drivers (T-15), including 12 910D2 or 910D3 models; sand, lob and approach wedges (39); and putters (14).
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