IRVINE, Calif. – World No. 1 Lydia Ko won the Saudi Ladies International using Proto Concept irons at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in Saudi Arabia.
The 25-year-old New Zealander shot 21-under par with rounds of 64-69-66-68—267 using Proto Concept irons to win by one shot and earn a $750,000 winner’s check. She went into the final round trailing by one stroke but made three birdies on the back nine, including the decisive one on the 17th where she took the lead for good.
The victory on the Ladies European Tour was Ko’s 26th victory worldwide and her first since signing a three-year endorsement extension with Proto Concept/Golf Partner, which originally signed her in early 2021.
“Proto Concept/Golf Partner would like to congratulate Lydia Ko on her victory at the Saudi Ladies International,” said Yasufumi Kawasaki, Brand Producer of Proto Concept and a managing executive for Golf Partner. “As the No. 1 player in the world, Lydia uses Proto Concept irons because they help her play her best and win.”
Ko began playing Proto Concept irons in competition in 2022 at the suggestion of her personal club fitter, subsequently signed an endorsement deal with the Proto Concept Golf/Golf Partner for the remainder of the season. She won three times.
Proto Concept, an ultra-luxury Japanese golf club designer/manufacturer, burst onto the scene in 2022 when three of its products were named to the Golf Digest’s 2022 Hot List for the first time.
Proto Concept is a collaboration between Japanese-owned Golf Partner Japan – the world’s largest golf retailer with some 400 locations – and fellow Japanese golf behemoth Endo Manufacturing, the industry standard in precision club manufacturing used by many of the world’s best-known OEMs.
“With Proto Concept Golf, the goal of our design team at Golf Partner is to produce the highest quality golf clubs for avid golfers of all handicaps,” Kawasaki said. “The name Proto Concept is derived from the prototype-quality clubs that are developed for tour professionals.”
Proto Concept products may be ordered online at protoconceptgolf.com and through designated green grass club fitters nationally, which can found at https://protoconceptgolf.com/pages/store-locator.
Proto Concept was established in 2019 in Tokyo, Japan and is a part of Golf Partner Co. Ltd. www.golfpartnerusa.com.
