CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec 3, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Ty Tryon became the youngest player ever to earn a PGA Tour card with his bogey-free final-round performance at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament today. Tryon, 17, carded four birdies and an eagle in his final- round 66 at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Callaway Golf Staff Professional Ben Crane also secured his 2002 PGA Tour card by finishing tied for fifth at the event.

"This is a dream come true," said Tryon, a junior at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando and the 2000 PGA Junior Championship winner. "I didn't worry about getting my card. I just came out here and let it fly. I hit a lot of good shots and made some big putts today."

According to PGA Tour rules, Tryon can become a full-time member of the PGA Tour when he turns 18 in June. Tryon was a co-medalist during the first stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School earlier this year, and then advanced through the second stage to earn a spot in the finals. He made his professional debut on the PGA Tour earlier this year at the Michelob Championship. Playing as an amateur, he became the youngest player to make a PGA Tour cut at the Honda Classic in March at age 16.

Tryon used 11 Callaway Golf(R) clubs at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, including a Big Bertha(R) Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Pro Series Titanium Driver, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus(R) 3-wood, Steelhead(TM) X-14(R) Pro Series Irons and a center-shafted Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) 2 Putter. Tryon also used the new CTU 30(TM) Red ball. He finished at 18-under-par 414 at the six-round final stage.

Meanwhile, Crane shot six rounds in the 60s to claim his 2002 PGA Tour card. Crane was a winner on the Buy.com Tour this year, where he was fourth in driving distance with an average of 303.3 yards. Crane, 25, will join Tryon and 22-year-old Charles Howell III among the growing list of top young Callaway Golf Staff Professionals on the PGA Tour next year.

Crane used 11 Callaway Golf clubs at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, including a Hawk Eye VFT Titanium Driver, Steelhead Plus 3-wood, Big Bertha X-12(R) Pro Series Irons and an Odyssey White Hot 5 Putter. Crane also used a Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) (red logo) ball. Crane shot 25-under-par 407 over six rounds at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. International tour veteran Peter Lonard also used the CTU 30 Red ball to earn his 2002 PGA Tour card today.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha C4(TM) Compression Cured Carbon Composite Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(TM) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye VFT Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead 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) HX(TM) Blue and HX Red balls, Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, and the CB1(TM) Blue and CB1 Red balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

SOURCE Callaway Golf Company

CONTACT: Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, or Millie Speirs of Callaway Golf Company, +1-760-931-1771