SAN DIEGO, California (Oct. 30, 2011) – Nippon Shaft recorded its second PGA TOUR victory of the season and added another top 10 finish over the weekend at the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic at The MINES Resort GC in Malaysia.
The 36-year-old Indiana native who played his college golf as Oklahoma State fired an impressive 7-under par 64 in his final round Sunday, including birdies on five of his last eight holes. He finished at 23-under par and walked away with the victory and a winner’s check worth $1.3 million.
The champion used Nippon Shaft’s N.S. PRO MODUS3 steel shafts with an X flex in his irons en route to rounds of 66-64-67-64-261. It was his second PGA TOUR victory, the first coming at the 2009 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.
“Nippon Shaft is extremely proud that this week champion has consistently chosen to trust Nippon Shaft’s steel shafts in his irons this season, and we’re very pleased his decision has paid off,” said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. “We also congratulate him for his five other top 10 finishes this year and official earnings of more than $2.34 million.”
Fukuda also praised the 48-year-old Fijian and former Masters champion who finished tied for seventh at 14-under par. The Hall of Famer shot 72-64-66-68-270 using prototype Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 steel shafts in his irons.
In 2011, Nippon Shaft now has victories on the PGA TOUR, the European PGA Tour, the Champions Tour, and the LPGA Tour.
“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:
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
