SAN DIEGO, California (August 8, 2011) – Nippon Shaft on Sunday (August 7) won the Ladies Irish Open with a final round 64 at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland.
The 30-year-old Norwegian, who used Nippon Shaft’s N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts with a stiff flex in her irons, finished at 18-under par 198 on rounds of 71-63-64 – six shots better than her closest competitor. It is her second victory this year using MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts and the fourth overall win in 2011 by players using the MODUS3 Tour 120s.
The victory earned the world’s third-ranked woman golfer a first prize check of Ì¢?åÂ60,000. She also solidified her place on this year’s European Solheim Cup team by playing in her sixth tournament, a requirement for European eligibility. The Solheim Cup also will be played at Killeen Castle on the same course from September 23-25.
“Nippon Shaft is very pleased that the No. 3 woman golfer in the world chose to use Nippon Shaft products in her irons,” said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. “The MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts have been developed in consultation with PGA Tour players and we’re happy they can be useful to one of the stars of the LPGA Tour.”
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:
1. Desired trajectory, which comes as a result of the unique shaft structure;
2. Accurate distances, thanks to the shaft’s unique raw steel material and accompanying heat treatment;
3. 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 worldwide. 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
