Callaway Golf Wins Driver Count Across Six Major Tours Combined; Great Big Bertha II Titanium Driver Earns Another European Victory

May 6, 2003 at 3:21 PM EDT

CARLSBAD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2003--Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) claimed the title of No. 1 driver across the world's six major professional tours combined last week. A total of 229 drivers manufactured by Callaway Golf were put in play by touring pros across the PGA, Champions, LPGA, Nationwide, PGA European and Japan Golf tours combined for the week ending May 4 -- the most by any golf manufacturer. Data from the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys Ltd. showed that Callaway Golf won the driver count outright on five of the six major professional tours, including the Champions, LPGA, Nationwide, PGA European and Japan Golf tours.

"We are gratified by the large number of professionals around the world using our drivers on tour," said Ron Drapeau, Chairman, CEO and President of Callaway Golf. "This usage at the elite level of play is an ongoing validation of Callaway Golf's commitment to applying technology to create products that bring more enjoyment and performance to all golfers -- from average players to touring pros."

Drivers were just one of the categories in which Callaway Golf dominated the usage counts last week across the six major professional tours combined. The Company was also No. 1 in fairway woods, irons and putters, while Callaway Golf balls remain a strong second in usage and wins on the world's six major professional tours combined.

In addition to winning usage counts, Callaway Golf was also a tournament winner Sunday as the Company's equipment was used to win events on four of the six major professional tours. The winner of the Italian Open used a Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Driver in his two-stroke victory, marking the second consecutive week that a Great Big Bertha II Titanium Driver was used to win on the PGA European Tour. The Swedish tour veteran averaged 302.3 yards in driving distance using the driver and was 15-under-par on par-5s for the week. The winner shot a final-round 65 to finish at 17-under-par 271. Last week, the winner of the Spanish Open also used a Great Big Bertha II Titanium Driver.

Meanwhile, Callaway Golf was part of three victories in the United States this past weekend. In the United States, Callaway Golf Ball Staff Professional Tripp Isenhour won the BMW Charity Classic at the Cliffs using the CTU 30(R) Red golf ball. On the other U.S. men's tours, the winner of the HP Classic of New Orleans used a Big Bertha(R) Steelhead(TM) III 3-wood to record his first PGA Tour victory and the winner of the Bruno's Memorial Classic used an Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) 5 Putter to earn his first Champions Tour victory of the year.

Callaway Golf's winning ways extended to the Far East, where Callaway Golf Staff Professional Joon Chung won the Maekyung Open in his native South Korea for his first Asian PGA Tour victory. Chung used the CTU 30 Red golf ball and a Great Big Bertha II Pro Series Titanium Driver, Steelhead III Strong 3-wood and 4-wood, Steelhead X-16(TM) Pro Series Irons, two Callaway Golf(R) Forged Wedges and an Odyssey 2-Ball Putter.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(TM) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-16(TM) and Steelhead X-16 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons, and Callaway Golf Forged Wedges. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(R), DFX(TM) and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(R) Blue and HX Red balls, the CTU 30(R) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, the HX 2-Piece Blue and HX 2-Piece Red balls, the CB1(R) Blue and CB1 Red balls, and the Warbird(TM) golf balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

CONTACT:
Callaway Golf Company, Carlsbad
Larry Dorman or Mike Galeski, 760/931-1771

SOURCE: Callaway Golf Company