Finishes Third at Honda Classic
CARLSBAD, Calif. (March 2, 2015) – Nippon Shaft won the 2015 Joburg Open on Sunday (March 1) at Royal Johannesburg, when the 28-year-old Englishman who won the South African Open in the same city eight weeks earlier again constructed his victory using the company’s N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 steel shafts in his irons.
The champion shot a 6-under par 66 in the final round to finish at 17-under, two strokes better than his nearest competitors. With the victory he qualified for this year’s Open Championship at St. Andrews in Scotland.
“Nippon Shaft is very proud that this week’s European Tour champion won his second European Tour event in South Africa utilizing our products,” said Hiro Fukuda, sales and marketing for the Japanese shaft maker. “The more that tour players from around the world see the real difference a quality shaft makes to their on-course performance the more they favor Nippon Shaft.”
Meanwhile, at the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic at PGA National in Florida, Nippon Shaft recorded a third place finish, one stroke out of a playoff. The 37-year-old Englishman shot a 4-under 68 in the final round to finish with a 5-under total. Last week, at Riviera, he finished tied for first and lost in a playoff.
Nippon Shaft recently announced that 70 players on the U.S. and European PGA Tours utilized various models of Nippon Shaft’s steel shafts in their irons and wedges during the 2013-14 season, an increase of 69.5% over the previous year. Fifty-six U.S. PGA TOUR players and 14 European Tour members chose from among five types of Nippon Shaft steel shafts to outfit their irons. Iron shaft models used were the N.S. PRO 950GH, the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 130, N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120, N.S. PRO MODUS3 PROTO ST shaft, and N.S. PRO MODUS3 PROTO ORA steel shafts.
In recent years, Nippon Shaft has been making inroads on the PGA TOUR with shafts designed for tour pros and low-handicap amateurs. For years, Nippon Shaft has been the most popular steel shaft on the LPGA Tour, thanks to its ability to manufacture a shaft that combines lightweight and sturdiness, which ensures maximum control.
Over the years, Nippon Shaft recorded hundreds of victories on professional golf tours worldwide, as the best players in the world increasingly chose to install in their irons steel shafts manufactured in Japan to unparalleled quality standards.
Nippon Shaft products are available globally either as stock or custom shafts in many of the world’s top iron brands. In addition, Nippon Shaft products are available through Nippon Shaft’s dedicated global club fitter network. Details of these can be found at www.nipponshaft.com
Nippon Shaft manufactures all of its steel and graphite shafts in a state-of-the-art factory in Komagane, Japan. The company’s integrated production lines are strictly monitored and controlled with thorough checks conducted responsibly through the entire production process. As a result, Nippon Shaft is able to control high product quality – from material selection to final testing.
Based in Yokohama, Japan, Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia. 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 Carlsbad.
Contact:
Barry Cronin
Cronin Communications, Inc.
847-698-1801 (office)
847-867-3032 (mobile)
bcronin@cronincommunications.com
