Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Titleist Brand Ambassador Jimmy Walker Captures Sony Open in Hawaii

Joins Hyundai Tournament of Champions Winner Zach Johnson to Give Titleist the 'Hawaiian Sweep'

(Fairhaven, MA) - With trust comes confidence.  Titleist Brand Ambassador Jimmy Walker displayed just that while capturing the SONY Open in Hawaii in come-from-behind fashion for his second win in six starts.  Walker topped a leaderboard that featured 6 of the top 7 finishers trusting Titleist golf balls for their success.  He also joined Titleist Pro V1x golf ball loyalist Louis Oosthuizen in this week’s winners’ circle after Oosthuizen rallied to successfully defend his title at the Volvo Golf Champions on the European Tour.

Two more wins brings the combined Titleist golf ball victory total on the new 2013-14 PGA and European Tour schedules to 9, compared to 1 for the nearest competitor.

PGA TOUR/SONY Open in Hawaii:  With Walker’s victory, players relying upon Titleist golf balls have now won 7 of the first 8 events on the 2013-14 PGA TOUR schedule … More than four times as many players relied upon Titleist (88) golf balls at the SONY Open in Hawaii than the nearest competitor (21) … Titleist was also the top choice in irons (35), wedges (146) and putters (54) … Statistically, Jimmy Walker had the correct tee-through-green recipe for victory, finishing among the top 10 in Driving Distance (1st/319. 5), Greens in Regulation (T7/73.61%) and Strokes Gained-Putting (8th/1.412) … Walker birdied three of his last four holes and four of the last six en route to a bogey-free final round 7-under 63 … He becomes the first multiple winner on the 2013-14 PGA TOUR following up on his first career victory at the season-opening Frys.com Open in October … Walker has played six events this season, has made all six cuts, posted five top 25’s, three top 10’s, has two victories and is a cumulative 69-under par … Walker’s win gives Titleist Brand Ambassadors the “Hawaiian Sweep,” as he follows up Zach Johnson’s victory at last week’s Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua on Maui … Titleist Brand Ambassador Marc Leishman birdied four of his last five holes to finish solo 5th, four shots behind Walker … Leishman put new Vokey Design SM5 pitching (48) and sand wedges (54), as well as a new prototype lob (60) wedge in his bag for the first time at SONY … Titleist golf ball loyalist Ryan Palmer (Pro V1x) eagled the 18th hole on both Saturday and Sunday and was one of 12 players to finish in a tie for 8th place at 10-under … Joining Palmer at T8 were Titleist Brand Ambassadors Adam Scott (Pro V1), Zach Johnson (Pro V1x) and Kevin Na (Pro V1x), as well as Titleist golf ball loyalist Charles Howell (Pro V1x) … Scott and Johnson are two of only three players to finish among the top 10 in both Hawaiian events … Titleist Brand Ambassador John Peterson put a set of new AP2 (714) irons in his bag this week and finished in a tie for 20th at 9-under 271 after firing four consecutive rounds in the 60’s … James Hahn (Pro V1x) recorded his first career PGA TOUR albatross on the 9th hole on Friday when converted his second shot from 191 yards on the par 5.

WHAT’S IN SONY OPEN IN HAWAII WINNER JIMMY WALKER’S TITLEIST BAG?:
* Pro V1 golf ball
* 913D2 (8.5) driver w/Mitsubishi Diamana Blue +72; X
* 913Fd (18.0) fairway metal w/Fujikura Motore VC8.2 TS; X
* 714 MB irons (3-9) w/True Temper Dynamic Gold X100
* Vokey Design SM4 pitching (48), sand (54) and lob (60) wedges w/True Temper Dynamic Gold X100
* Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 2 prototype putter

EUROPEAN TOUR/Volvo Golf Champions:  Titleist Pro V1x golf ball loyalist and native South African Louis Oosthuizen defended his Volvo Golf Champions title at Durban Country Club … Oosthuizen was one shot behind the leader with two holes to play, but birdied both to card a closing 4-under par 68 and win by one shot … Oosthuizen finished with a 12-under 276 victory total ... Oosthuizen has started each of the last four calendar years with a victory after winning the Volvo Golf Champions last January and the Africa Open in to begin 2011 and 2012.

QUOTING LOUIS: "It was nerve-wracking through the round but I finished strong and I'm just happy that I got it done.  It's an awesome start for the year.  Confidence-wise it's great.”

There were 22 players (61%) in the field of 36 relying upon Titleist golf balls for their success, more than four times the nearest competitor with 5 … Joost Luiten (Pro V1) tied for 3rd place, two shots behind Oosthuizen, while Pro V1x loyalists Victor Dubuisson and Padraig Harrington were among three players tied for 5th, another shot back … Luiten recorded his first career albatross with a 2 on the par 5 10th hole during Friday’s second round.

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