VILLEGAS AND NOH WIN WITH TITLEIST ON PGA, EUROPEAN TOURS
Young Guns Continue Titleist's Winning Momentum across Worldwide Professional Tours
Fairhaven, MA (March 8, 2010) - Outstanding young talent and memorable performances shared golf's center stage once again this week, as Titleist golf ball loyalist Camilo Villegas and 18-year old Titleist Brand Ambassador Noh Seung-yul earned victories on the PGA and European Tours, respectively. Villegas, relying upon the Pro V1, earned his third career crown with a convincing record setting five-shot victory at the Honda Classic. At the Maybank Malaysian Open, Noh trusted the Pro V1x and a complete bag of Titleist equipment to become the youngest professional ever to win on the European Tour. Titleist players have now won 8 of the first 10 events on the 2010 PGA Tour and 23 across the worldwide professional tours, more than five times the nearest competitor with 4. An impressive start for the #1 ball in golf, and for the next generation of trust.
TITLEIST HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 7, 2010
PGA TOUR: Villegas (Pro V1, 909H hybrid, Vokey Design Spin Milled gap, sand and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron putter) shot four consecutive rounds in the 60s, including a final-round 2-under 68 to win the Honda Classic by five shots for his third career PGA TOUR title. Villegas finished at 13-under 267, the lowest 72-hole score since the event moved to PGA National in 2007, and four shots better than the winning total a year ago.
#1 BALL, IRON, WEDGE and PUTTER: According to the Darrell Survey, Titleist was the GOLF BALL of choice at the Honda Classic with 89 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 17. Titleist was also first in IRON SETS with 37 players; SAND, LOB and APPROACH WEDGES with 102; and PUTTERS with 54 in play. Titleist was also second in the DRIVER (30) and FAIRWAY METALS (33) categories.
The victory by Villegas is the 8th for Titleist golf ball players through the first 10 events on the 2010 PGA TOUR. Villegas also finished among the Top 12 in three key statistical categories, including Putts Per Green in Regulation (1.660) with his Scotty Cameron putter, as well as Greens in Regulation (73.6). He also finished T12 in Putts Per Round (28.3).
EUROPEAN: South Korean teenager and Titleist Brand Ambassador Noh Seung-yul edged out fellow countryman and Titleist golf ball loyalist K.J. Choi (Pro V1x) by one shot to win the Maybank Malaysian Open. It marked the first career European Tour title for the 18-year old, who birdied the 72nd hole to card a final round 4-under par 68 and a 14-under 274 total. Choi, 39, also birdied the last hole to shoot a final round 3-under par 69 to post the clubhouse lead at 13-under.
Noh had won on the Asian Tour in 2008, and now holds Tour cards in Asia, Europe and Japan. "This is more special than my first win," said Noh, who won the 2008 Midea China Classic title en route to becoming the Asian Tour's Rookie of the Year.
Titleist Brand Ambassador Søren Hansen (Pro V1x), as well as Rhys Davies (Pro V1) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Pro V1x) all tied for third place at 12-under par, as Titleist golf ball players secured each of the top five positions on the leaderboard.
According to Choi: "Noh played brilliantly and I have no complaints. He is one of the most powerful young talents coming up. The way that he controls and hits the ball is like no other and I think he has a very bright future."
What's in Noh's Bag?: Pro V1x, 909D3 driver (8.5), 909F3 3-wood (13), New MB irons (3-9), Vokey Design Spin Milled pitching (48), sand (54) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron putter.
#1 BALL, IRON and WEDGE: According to Sports Marketing Surveys, Titleist was the GOLF BALL of choice at the Maybank Malaysian Open with 102 players, more than four times the nearest competitor with 23. Titleist was also first in IRON SETS with 39 players; and SAND, LOB and APPROACH WEDGES with 120.
