CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- The Odyssey® White Hot® "2-Ball" Putter won't officially be released to the public until January of 2002, but it is already a winner in the birthplace of golf. Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY - news) Staff Professional Paul Lawrie used the remarkable new putter to drain a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the Dunhill Links Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews. The 1999 British Open champion put the unique putter in his bag this week after trying it for the first time prior to the start of the tournament and promptly won for the first time in two years.

His winning putt traversed the famed "Valley of Sin" in front of the Old Course's 18th green, climbed up the steep slope and into the hole for a one-stroke victory over Ernie Els.

"To have a major championship winner like Paul Lawrie put the Odyssey White Hot '2-Ball' Putter in play -- and use it to win the first week it was in his bag -- is tremendous validation for this new product," said Ron Drapeau, president, CEO and chairman of Callaway Golf. "Several top golfers have already put the Odyssey White Hot '2-Ball' Putter in play, and we're very excited about the amount of attention it is receiving."

A total of 23 golfers used the Odyssey White Hot "2-Ball" Putter across the PGA, Senior PGA, Buy.com, PGA European and Japan Golf tours last weekend - - the first week after it was introduced to tour players. The strikingly distinct design and outstanding performance of the putter have quickly generated a loud buzz on the tours. Bruce Fleisher and Charles Howell III are among the many professionals who already have put the Odyssey White Hot "2-Ball" Putter in play.

The Odyssey White Hot "2-Ball" Putter has a large mallet head with two golf ball-sized alignment aids positioned directly behind the center of the face on the top of the putter. At address, golfers will see their ball with the "2-Ball" alignment system immediately behind it, providing an accurate preview of where the putter is really aimed. This helps ensure the putter is square to the target, and also helps golfers to better see the line their ball will travel after impact. The White Hot "2-Ball" Putter also has a unique "weighting wing" design that lowers the center of gravity and pulls weight away from the face of the putter, helping eliminate skidding and skipping for better roll characteristics.

Lawrie used the Odyssey White Hot "2-Ball" Putter to finish at 18-under- par 270 at the Dunhill Links Championship, including a third-round 63 that was just one shot off the Old Course record. He used a total of 11 Callaway Golf® clubs, including a Hawk Eye® VFT® Pro Series Titanium Driver, Steelhead Plus® Strong 4-wood and Steelhead(TM) X-14® Pro Series Irons. Callaway Golf Staff Professional Colin Montgomerie finished tied for fifth at the event using 11 Callaway Golf clubs and the Company's new CTU 30(TM) Red golf ball.

"I had been struggling with my putting until this week," Lawrie said. "My ball-striking had been good, but I couldn't make the putts. All that's changed now. I really have confidence with this new putter."

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha ERC® II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk Eye® VFT® 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® and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® Putters, including White Hot®, TriHot(TM), and Dual Force® Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf® HX(TM) Red and HX Blue balls, Rule 35® Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Red and CTU 30 Blue balls, and the CB1(TM) Red and CB1 Blue balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.