Russ Cochran, Kyung-Tae Kim Lead 4-Win Week for Titleist.
Fairhaven, MA (July 25, 2011) – Demonstrating grace under pressure and consistency when it mattered most, Russ Cochran trusted his Pro V1 golf ball to capture the first major title of his career, topping a world-class field at the Senior Open Championship. And in Japan, Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyung-Tae Kim trusted the Pro V1x golf ball and Titleist equipment to claim his first win of the season on the Japan Golf Tour, capping a steady year in which he has finished no worse than tied for 12th in six starts. Cochran and Kim’s victories headlined a week in which four champions on the Worldwide Professional Golf Tours put their trust in a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.
Titleist golf ball players have now earned 96 victories across the Worldwide Professional Tours in 2011, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 13 and more than all golf balls combined. In total, 11,707 players have teed up Titleist golf balls in competition on the 2011 Worldwide Professional Tours, more than six times the nearest competitor with 1,775 and more than all competitors combined.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: In his victory at the Senior Open Championship, Cochran (Pro V1) backed up a near-flawless round on Saturday with his second straight 5-under 67 at Walton Heath to edge Pro V1x loyalist Mark Calcavecchia by two shots. The 52-year-old Cochran made six birdies in his final round to post a winning total of 12-under 276. It marked his third Champions Tour victory and his first of the 2011 season.
– Calcavecchia, who entered the final round with a share of the overnight lead with Cochran and David Frost (Pro V1), closed with a 3-under 69 to finish as the sole runner-up.
– Seeking a record fourth win at the Senior British Open, Tom Watson (Pro V1) tied for 3rd with Corey Pavin (Pro V1) at 9-under 279 after charging with a 5-under 67.
– Seven of the Top 10 finishers trusted a Titleist golf ball for their success. Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 105 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 20. Titleist also was first in iron sets (33); and sand, lob and approach wedges (90).
NATIONWIDE TOUR: The amateur winner of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational trusted a Pro V1x golf ball to birdie the final hole and card a final round one-under par 70, winning by a single shot over two players, including another fellow amateur who also trusted Pro V1x for his success. The winner posted a 14-under 270 victory total.
– The winner and one of the co-runners-up were among a dozen top collegiate players in the field thanks to sponsors invitations extended to the 2011 first and second team NCAA All-Americans. All three amateurs that made the cut finished among the top 10.
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 103 players, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 13.
– Titleist also was first in iron sets (44), including 12 sets of new 712 prototype irons (4 AP2, 2 MB, and 6 CB sets in play); sand, lob and approach wedges (145); and putters (62).
JAPAN TOUR: Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyung-Tae Kim (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 909H hybrid, CB/MB irons, Vokey Design wedges) fired a bogey-free final round 68 for a 4-shot victory at the Invitational Sega Sammy Cup. The win marks Kim’s first victory in his six JGTO starts this year, and his fourth victory in his four-year Japan Tour career.
– In his six starts this season, Kim has finished among the top 10 four times, and T12 twice. Earlier this season, Kim also triumphed at the Maekyung Open on the ONEAsia Tour.
– Seven of the 12 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success, including four of the top five: Steven Conran (3rd/Pro V1x), Kodai Ichihara (T4/Pro V1x) and Titleist Brand Ambassador Dong-Hwan Lee (T4/Pro V1, 910D2 driver, MB/AP2 irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport Fastback).
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the Invitational Sega Sammy Cup with 69 players, more than twice the nearest competitor with 31.
– Titleist also was first in hybrids (42); and sand, lob and approach wedges (119).
ASIAN TOUR: Rookie Joonas Granberg of Finland (Pro V1x) captured the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for his first career Asian Tour title. Granberg fired a final round 6-under 66 to finish with a 15-under par, 273 victory total, and now owns the distinction of being the first Finnish player to win on the Asian Tour.
Overnight leader Panuphol “Coconut” Pittayarat of Thailand (Pro V1) closed with a 1-under par 71 to finish alone in second place, one shot back.
Nine of the eleven players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 104 players (67%), more than four times the nearest competitor with 24. Titleist irons and Vokey Design wedges were also the choice of more players than any other brand.
PGA TOUR: Titleist Brand Ambassador Kris Blanks trusted a Pro V1x golf ball and a bag full of Titleist equipment, including new Prototype Titleist CB (712 Series) irons en route to his best showing of the season, a runner-up finish at the RBC Canadian Open.
– Blanks (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910H hybrid, new CB prototype irons, Vokey Design approach, sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Kombi putter), who nearly became the fourth consecutive Titleist Brand Ambassador to win on the PGA TOUR, led the field in Greens in Regulation at 70.8%. He also tied for 7th in Driving Accuracy with his 910D3 driver (69.6%)
– Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the RBC Canadian Open with 100 players, more than six times the nearest competitor with 16.
– Titleist also was first in iron sets (45), including 16 sets of new 712 prototype irons (4 AP2, 6 MB, and 6 CB sets in play); sand, lob and approach wedges (143); and putters (58).
Titleist and FootJoy comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE – FO). Contact: Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211).
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