CARLSBAD, Calif. (May 2, 2016) – With Nippon Shaft products installed in both his irons and wedges, a 20-year-old Chinese player came from behind Sunday (May 1) to win the Volvo China Open at Topwin Golf & Country Club in Beijing.
A birdie on the 17th hole ultimately provided a three-stroke margin of victory for the European PGA Tour’s youngest winner of the season, who shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 in the final round to claim his first victory on the European Tour.
The champion used Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts in both his irons and wedges en route to rounds of 69-67-66-64. He earned ?450,176 or $518,744 in prize money.
The Chilean pro who finished runner-up at 19-under also used Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts in his irons.
“Nippon Shaft would like to congratulate the winner of the Volvo China Open on his first European Tour victory,” said Hiro Fukuda, sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. “We are confident that the future holds even more success for this promising young player. Nippon Shaft is honored that he, like many of the world’s best golfers, choose to use our products to compete at the highest level.”
Nippon Shaft’s popularity on the world’s major golf tours grew significantly in 2015, with 106 players on the PGA TOUR and European Tour combined utilizing steel shafts built by the Japan-based golf shaft manufacturer, an increase of over 50 percent compared to the prior year when 70 major Tour pros used Nippon Shaft.
“Nippon Shaft is proud and gratified that its product penetration continues to experience meaningful growth year after year on the world’s major men’s golf tours,” said Fukuda.
In the 2014-15 season, Nippon Shaft players won 16 times on the world’s top tours, including the PGA TOUR, European Tour, Web.com Tour, Challenge Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Seven of the 30 contestants in the PGA TOUR’s TOUR Championship used Nippon Shaft steel shafts in their irons and/or wedges.
The iron shaft models used by golf’s elite players were the N.S. PRO 950GH, the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 130, N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120, N.S. PRO MODUS3 TOUR 105 shaft, and N.S. PRO MODUS3 PROTOTYPE ORA steel shafts.
In addition, more than 70 players used Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 WEDGE shafts, which were designed exclusively for wedges, utilizing unique technologies that contribute to high levels of stability and feel in the short game. The WEDGE shafts were released to the public in March of 2015.
Meanwhile, Nippon Shaft continues to be the preferred shaft on the LPGA Tour, with several players having recorded victories on the world’s predominant women’s tour.
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
