CARLSBAD, Calif., April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The No. 1 driver on the PGA
European Tour scored its second victory of the season yesterday, as Callaway
Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Phillip Price used an ERC(TM) II Forged
Titanium Driver in his win at the Portuguese Open. Price's come-from-behind
victory included a dazzling final-round 64 to claim the event title for the
second time in his career.
It was a two-win weekend for Callaway Golf's "Rule 35"(R) ball. While
Price was winning in Portugal with the "Rule 35" Softfeel(TM) (blue logo)
ball, Callaway Golf Staff Professional Rosie Jones was on her way to a playoff
victory at the LPGA's Kathy Ireland Championship using the "Rule 35"
Firmfeel(TM) (red logo) ball. The "Rule 35" ball has now been used to win
12 events across the world's five major professional tours combined this
season -- the second-highest win total of any golf ball manufacturer this
year. Callaway Golf leads the tours in driver, iron and putter wins.
The highlight of Price's performance at the Portuguese Open was a
10-birdie outburst in the final round, which helped him make up a four-stroke
deficit. His 15-under-par 273 left him two strokes clear of the field, and
the victory moved him to sixth on the points list for the European Ryder Cup
team. "I got off to a great start and played lovely golf all day," Price
said. "I hit some really good shots under pressure and played every shot with
confidence."
Price carried 11 Callaway Golf(R) clubs in his victory. In addition to
his ERC II Forged Titanium Driver, he used a Big Bertha Steelhead(R) Strong
3-wood and Steelhead X-14(R) Pro Series Irons. Callaway Golf Staff
Professional Alastair Forsyth finished tied for fourth using 12 Callaway Golf
clubs, including a ERC II Forged Titanium Driver, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus
3-wood and 5-wood, Steelhead X-14 Irons and an Odyssey(R) TriHot(TM) 3 Putter.
Forsyth also used the "Rule 35" Firmfeel model, and Callaway Golf balls
accounted for three of the top six spots on the leaderboard.
Including Price and Forsyth, seven of the top 14 finishers at the
Portuguese Open used ERC II Drivers. The ERC II continues to be the
most-played driver model on the PGA European Tour this year, and 40 golfers
used the ERC II in Portugal. Only three Callaway Golf Staff Professionals
played in the event, meaning the other 37 golfers who chose to use an ERC II
did so without any financial incentive.
Meanwhile, Jones won the Kathy Ireland Championship in dramatic fashion.
After birdieing the 18th hole to force a playoff, Jones birdied the hole
again to win on the first playoff hole. The LPGA Tour's leader in driving
accuracy carded four rounds in the 60s en route to a 12-under 268. Jones used
13 Callaway Golf clubs in her 11th career LPGA Tour victory, including a Hawk
Eye(R) Pro Series Titanium Driver, Steelhead Fairway Woods, Big Bertha X-12(R)
Irons and an Odyssey Dual Force(R) Rossie(R) 2 Putter. Jones led a group of
five golfers among the top 11 finishers to use the "Rule 35" Firmfeel model,
and Callaway Golf was second in ball usage at the event with 37 balls in play.
"Rule 35" balls were also the second most-played balls on the Senior PGA
Tour last week, but Callaway Golf nearly claimed the top spot for the week.
There were 35 golfers using "Rule 35" balls at the Bruno's Memorial Classic,
just one fewer than the leading ball brand. Leading the "Rule 35" charge was
Callaway Golf Staff Professional Stewart Ginn, who finished second using the
Firmfeel model. Ginn used 13 Callaway Golf clubs in the best finish of his
senior career, including a Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Driver,
a Steelhead Plus 3-wood, Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Irons and an Odyssey Dual
Force Rossie 1 Putter.
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons,
including Big Bertha ERC(TM) II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk
Eye(R) VFT(TM) and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and
Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus(TM) Stainless Steel Drivers and
Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Steelhead(TM)
X-14(R) and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf
Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R),
TriHot(TM), and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells
the Callaway Golf(R) "Rule 35"(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) golf balls,
and the CB1(TM) Red and CB1 Blue golf balls. For more information about
Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at http://www.callawaygolf.com,
http://www.callawaygolfball.com and http://www.odysseygolf.com.
SOURCE Callaway Golf Company
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Related links:
http://www.callawaygolf.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/124825.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 124825
CONTACT:
Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, or Millie Speirs,
all of Callaway Golf Company, 760-931-1771
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