SAN DIEGO, California (July 24, 2011) – Nippon Shaft today is celebrating a highly successful weekend, having recorded two tour victories and a top 10 finish on the PGA TOUR. Here are the results:
The winner of the LPGA Tour’s Evian Masters used the new N.S. PRO V90 R-flex in her irons to capture her first title of the year. The 26-year-old from Japan shot 2-under 70 in her final round to finish at 15-under par. She said she would donate a portion of her winner’s check, worth $487,500, to relief efforts in her native country.
The winner of the Senior British Open Championship utilized a prototype Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 steel shaft in his irons to earn his first senior major title at Walton Heath Golf Club in England. The 52-year-old left-hander from Kentucky shot 5-under par 67 in the final round and finished at 12-under for the week. He beat out two British Open champions and a U.S. Open champion who came second and tied for third place. It was his third Champions Tour victory but his first this season. He earned $310,000 for the victory.
On the PGA Tour, Nippon Shaft finished in a three-way tie for sixth place at the RBC Canadian Open at Shaunessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver. The 36-year-old Indiana native and former Oklahoma State star used a prototype Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 steel shaft in his irons. He earned $174,200 for his efforts and now has nine top 20 finishes this year, including a tie for 8th at The Masters.
“Nippon Shaft is proud that its shafts proved effective across three professional tours, including the PGA TOUR, the Champions Tour, and the LPGA Tour,” said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. “We wish all the players continued success as they compete around the world this season.”
Nippon Shaft now has victories on the PGA TOUR, the Champions Tour, and the LPGA Tour in 2011.
“Nippon Shaft is committed to manufacturing the world’s best shafts for the world’s elite players, as well as for avid amateurs and casual golfers,” Fukuda said. “We are pleased and excited that the men and women pros who have been using our products have been performing so well.”
The new N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 is the first new shaft to come to market since Nippon Shaft began researching the needs of top PGA touring pros in July 2009. Other MODUS3 models are still in development.
Consumers may purchase the shafts directly from major golf retailers, such as GolfSmith and The GolfWorks.
As always, the shafts are available through Shaftology – Nippon Shaft’s dedicated clubfitter network – and through the custom club departments of top club manufacturers.
A number of PGA touring pros – including former Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team members – are playing prototype versions of the MODUS3 shafts in PGA and European PGA tournaments this year. The Tour 120 model weighs between 114 and 126 grams and comes in S, X, and Tour X flex options. Other models still in the testing phase weigh as little as 106 grams and as many as 139 grams – but all meet the requirements of top players.
The N.S. PRO MODUS3 series shafts are popular with touring pros because they offer optimal performance in the three key areas:
Desired trajectory, which comes as a result of the unique shaft structure;
Accurate distances, thanks to the shaft’s unique raw steel material and accompanying heat treatment;
Tight dispersion, which comes from the exacting tolerances of the highest quality level.
Nippon Shaft made its reputation in the late 1990s by developing the first high quality lightweight steel shaft. The revolutionary N.S. PRO 950GH became the industry’s first sub-100 gram steel shaft, combining the stability and consistency of heavier shafts with extremely light weight. Soon, Nippon Shaft grew to be the No. 1-selling shaft in Asia, controlling 80 percent of the market, and No. 2 in North America. Along the way, Nippon Shaft recorded more than 100 pro tour victories worldwide and became the dominant shaft on the LPGA Tour.
Nippon Shaft manufactures all of its steel and graphite shafts in a state-of-the-art factory at its headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The company’s integrated production lines are strictly monitored and controlled with thorough checks conducted responsibly through the entire production process, Fukuda said. As a result, Nippon Shaft is able to control high product quality – from material selection to final testing.
Nippon Shaft has more than 100 professional victories worldwide. Based in Yokohama, Japan, Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia, where it controls 80 percent of the golf shaft market. In North America, Nippon Shaft is the No. 2-selling steel shaft and is growing.
Nippon Shaft is a privately-held subsidiary of NHK Spring Co. LTD, a Japanese automobile parts manufacturer. Nippon Shaft’s North American headquarters is in San Diego.
Contact:
Barry Cronin
Cronin Communications, Inc.
847-698-1801 (office)
847-867-3032 (mobile)
bcronin@cronincommunications.com
