Annika Sorenstam Leads an Impressive Multi-Win Weekend for Callaway Golf Clubs and Balls Around the World; ERC II Driver Used in Two Worldwide Tour Wins
CARLSBAD, Calif., Jul 1, 2002 (BW SportsWire) -- Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam continued her dominant play on the LPGA Tour, where she won the ShopRite LPGA Classic yesterday. The victory is Sorenstam's seventh of the season and was one of the high points of a victory-filled weekend for Callaway Golf(R) clubs and balls. Each tournament across the world's major six professional tours yesterday was won by a golfer using at least one Callaway Golf club. That total includes a pair of wins for the Big Bertha(R) ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Driver and four victories apiece for Callaway Golf balls and Odyssey(R) Putters.
Sorenstam carded a bogey-free 66 in the final round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic to come from three strokes off the pace for a three-stroke win. The reigning Rolex LPGA Player of the Year has now won 14 LPGA Tour events over the last two seasons -- including eight victories in her last 15 events on the tour. Sorenstam's win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic included three rounds in the 60s and a 12-under-par total of 201. She leads the LPGA Tour in several statistical categories this year, including scoring average, money won, player of the year points, greens hit in regulation, rounds under par and birdies.
Sorenstam used the HX(R) Red golf ball and 11 Callaway Golf clubs at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, including a Big Bertha C4(TM) Driver, Steelhead(TM) X-14(R) Irons and an Odyssey White Hot(R) "2-Ball" Putter. Twelve of the top 14 finishers at the event used at least one Callaway Golf club. Callaway Golf leads the LPGA Tour in both wins and usage for drivers, fairway woods, irons and putters this year, and the Company also leads the way with nine golf ball victories in 15 events. Overall, Odyssey Putters have now been used to win 41 events across the PGA, Senior PGA, LPGA, Buy.com, PGA European and Japan Golf tours this year. The nearest competitor has 28 victories.
In addition to Sorenstam's victory, clubs and balls made by Callaway Golf contributed to victories on each major professional tour yesterday:
- Don Pooley used the HX Red golf ball to score the first major championship of his career, winning the U.S. Senior Open in a dramatic five-hole playoff with Tom Watson. The champion also used a Callaway Golf fairway wood to claim his first senior title. This is the second consecutive U.S. Senior Open title for Callaway Golf balls, following Bruce Fleisher's victory last year using the Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) ball. Callaway Golf now leads all ball manufacturers with three golf ball victories at the seven major championships played this year. As it was at the U.S. Open two weeks ago, Callaway Golf was the No. 2 ball brand in play at the U.S. Senior Open. Callaway Golf also led the U.S. Senior Open in fairway woods, irons and putters in play.
- Dean Wilson won his second Japan Golf Tour title of the year, earning a one-stroke victory at the Mizuno Open. Wilson used the CTU 30(TM) Red ball and 12 Callaway Golf clubs, including an ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Driver, Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Irons and an Odyssey White Hot 5 Putter. Wilson moved to second on the tour's money list behind his fellow Callaway Golf Staff Professional Tohru Taniguchi, the winner of last week's Tamanoi Yomiuri Open. Odyssey Golf is enjoying an amazing season on the Japan Golf Tour, as Odyssey Putters have been used to win 10 of the 11 events played this year. Callaway Golf also leads the tour in driver, irons and golf ball wins.
- Soren Hansen won the Murphy's Irish Open in a four-way playoff, scoring the first tour victory for the CTU 30 Blue golf ball. The winner also used an ERC II Forged Titanium Driver and an Odyssey TriHot(TM) 3 Putter to score his first PGA European Tour victory in four years. Three of the four players in the playoff were using Callaway Golf drivers and golf balls.
- The winner of the FedEx St. Jude Classic used a Callaway Golf fairway wood and an Odyssey Dual Force(R) Rossie(R) 2 Putter to become only the third multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season. The top three finishers at the event all relied on the power and precision of Callaway Golf fairway woods. The winner of the Buy.com Knoxville Open also used a Callaway Golf fairway wood, earning the third victory of his Buy.com Tour career.
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha C4(TM) Compression Cured Carbon Composite Drivers, Big Bertha ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods, 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(R) Blue and HX Red balls, Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, the HX 2-Piece Blue and HX 2-Piece 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.
CONTACT:
Callaway Golf Company
Larry Dorman / Mike Galeski / Millie Speirs
760/931-1771
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