Titleist brand ambassador Bill Haas wins Northern Trust Open in dramatic playoff
Fairhaven, MA (February 20, 2012) – Whether you’re locked in a three-way playoff to decide a championship or simply striving to be your best, it all comes down to trusting your equipment on every shot. Titleist Brand Ambassador Bill Haas, relying on the Pro V1x golf ball and a full bag of Titleist golf clubs, showed how far trust and talent can take you with his dramatic win at the Northern Trust Open. Victories around the world by Brand Ambassadors on the European, South African and Australasian Tours, as well as wins by golf ball loyalists Yani Tseng and Kenny Perry, provide continued proof that when it comes to performance excellence, the overwhelming choice is Titleist.
Haas rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a three-way playoff to capture the Northern Trust Open at famed Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. Haas closed with a 2-under par 69 to finish at 7-under 277. He was on the practice range warming up when his eventual playoff partners drained long putts of 26 and 12 feet, respectively, to force extra holes.
The reigning FedExCup champion, Haas captured his fourth career PGA Tour title and advanced to No.12 in the world following the win. He has won at least one PGA TOUR event in each of the last three years.
The tournament was decided on the 312-yard 10th hole. While it can be reached with a drive, it’s all about position – and none of the three were in a good spot. Haas went long into thick rough, with enough of the back bunker in his way that he smartly played out to the right and left himself a long birdie putt that at least would assure him par. After Haas converted his putt, the drama continued as he had to wait and watch one participant fail to hole a bunker shot and the other miss a putt from just off the green.
What’s in Bill Haas’ Titleist Bag?: Pro V1x golf ball, 910D2 (8.5) driver, 910F (13.5) fairway metal, CB (2-P) irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled sand (54) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron Kombi long putter.
– Haas tied for 1st in Putts Per Round (25.8) and 3rd in Strokes Gained – Putting (2.251).
– Fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Jarrod Lyle’s T4 finish marks the best of his PGA TOUR career. His previous best finish was T5 at the 2011 Mayakoba Golf Classic.
EUROPEAN: Titleist Brand Ambassador Jbe Kruger captured his first career European Tour title, firing a 3-under par 69 that gave him a two-stroke victory at the Avantha Masters in New Delhi. The 25-year old South African, who held the 54-hole lead heading into the final round, finished with a 14-under 274 total, two strokes clear of two players, including fellow Pro V1x loyalist Marcel Siem.
Kruger’s previous best finish on the European Tour was a third place showing at the 2010 Africa Open.
What’s in Jbe Kruger’s Titleist Bag?: Pro V1x golf ball, 910D3 (7.5) driver, 910F (13.5) fairway metal, 910H (18) hybrid, AP2 (3-P) irons, Vokey Design SM4 approach (50), sand (56) and lob (64) wedges.
LPGA: Top-ranked Yani Tseng successfully defended her Honda LPGA Thailand title for her first win of the year and the 13th of her short but illustrious LPGA career. The 23-year-old Titleist Pro V1x golf ball loyalist birdied the final two holes to close with a 6-under 66 en route to a 19-under 269 victory total. The one-shot win marked the 33rd of her career worldwide.
Jiyai Shin (Pro V1), playing in the group in front of Tseng, closed with a 67 to finish in solo 3rd place, two strokes behind the champion. Fellow South Korean Amy Yang (Pro V1) shot a final round 69 to finish in solo 4th place, as three of the top four finishers relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.
CHAMPIONS: Titleist Pro V1x loyalist Kenny Perry captured his second career Champions Tour title, cruising to a five-shot win at the ACE Group Classic. After opening with rounds of 64 and 62 to break the tour’s 36-hole record at 18-under 126, Perry closed with a 2-under 70 in windy conditions to top 2011 winner Bernhard Langer (Pro V1). Perry tied the tournament record for largest margin of victory which stood since 1999. He also tied Langer’s tournament scoring record set last year.
SOUTH AFRICAN: Titleist Brand Ambassador Oliver Bekker (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metal, MB irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron putter) captured his maiden Sunshine Tour victory when he fired a final round 2-under 70 to capture the Dimension Data Pro-Am. Bekker posted a 13-under 276 total, two strokes clear of fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Tyrone Ferreira (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 910F fairway metal, CB irons, Vokey Design wedges) and Pro V1x loyalist Thomas Aiken. Titleist Brand Ambassador Shaun Norris (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metal, MB irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron putter) took a share of 4th place with a score of 9-under 280.
AUSTRALASIAN: Titleist Brand Ambassador Gareth Paddison (Pro V1, 910D2 driver, 910F fairway metal, 910H hybrid, CB irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron putter) won the Victorian PGA Championship this weekend. Paddison’s winning score of 7-under 277 edged Leighton Lyle (Pro V1x), brother of Titleist Brand Ambassador Jarrod Lyle, by one shot. Paddison now heads to Toowoomba to defend the Queensland PGA Championship that he won in 2011.
Titleist golf ball players occupied the top six positions on the leaderboard and 9 of the top 10.
WORLDWIDE WINS: Six wins this week improves Titleist’s worldwide golf ball victory total in 2012 to 19, more than six times the nearest competitor with 3.
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