FAIRHAVEN, Mass. (Jan. 13, 2014) -- Following up on his breakthrough victory at the season-opening Frys.com Open in October, Titleist Brand Ambassador Jimmy Walker became the first multiple winner of the 2013-2014 PGA Tour season yesterday, capturing the SONY Open in Hawaii. Trusting his Pro V1 golf ball and a full bag of Titleist golf clubs, Walker birdied four of his last six holes in his winning performance, firing a bogey-free final round of 7-under par 63.
And as the PGA European Tour resumed action after the brief holiday break, Pro V1x loyalist Louis Oosthuizen overcame a one-shot deficit with two holes to play to successfully defend his title at the Volvo Golf Champions.
With two more victories in the young season, the momentum continues for Titleist golf ball players, who have now earned 9 victories across the Worldwide Professional Tours in 2014, more than four times the nearest competitor with 2 and more than all other golf balls combined.
In total, 1,015 players have teed up Titleist golf balls in competition on the 2014 worldwide professional tours, more than five times the nearest competitor with 173 and more than all competitors combined.
Let's review the action from around the golfing world with the Team Titleist Tour Recap.
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PGA TOUR: 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).
Jimmy Walker posted a 17-under 263 total on the par-70 Waialae CC layout, good for a one-shot margin of victory at the first full-field event this year. Walker, who has played six events on the new wraparound PGA Tour schedule, has made all six cuts, posted five top 25’s, three top 10’s and now has two victories.
During this span he is now a combined 69-under par. He's now established a commanding lead in the FedExCup Playoff race with 1,233 points, 302 points clear of his closest pursuer.
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.
“I stayed patient,” Walker said after the win. “I made a really key par putt on 14 and the string of birdies there [down the stretch] was pretty awesome. Today was awesome. I felt in control all day – emotions, mentally and physically and all that. It was really cool golf today.”
What's in Jimmy Walker's Bag?
Golf Ball: Pro V1
Driver: 913D2 (8.5º) driver with Mitsubishi Diamana Blue 72 X shaft
Fairways: 913F.d (18º) fairway metal with Fujikura Motore VC8.2 TS X shaft
Irons: MB (714) irons (3-9) with Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
Wedges: Vokey Design SM4 pitching (48º), sand (54º) and lob (60º) wedges with Dynamic Gold X100 shafts
Putter: Scotty Cameron Tour Rat 2 prototype
TITLEIST LEADERBOARD: Walker topped a leaderboard that featured 6 of the top 7 finishers trusting Titleist golf balls for their success.
Titleist Brand Ambassador Marc Leishman birdied four of his last five holes to finish solo 5th, four shots behind Walker. Leishman put new prototype Vokey Design Spin Milled 5 (SM5) pitching (48º) and sand wedges (54º), as well as a new prototype lob (60º) wedge in his bag for the first time this week.
Titleist golf ball loyalist Ryan Palmer (Pro V1x) eagled the 18th hole on both Saturday and Sunday and was one of 12 players who finished in a tie for 8th place at 10-under par 270 .
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 III (Pro V1x).
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.
Players relying upon Titleist golf balls have now won 7 of the first 8 events on the 2013-14 PGA TOUR schedule.
• • •PGA EUROPEAN TOUR: Twenty-two players in the field of 36 relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success, more than four times the nearest competitor with 5.
Louis Oosthuizen birdied the last two holes of his final round to overcome a one-shot deficit, 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 to begin his 2011 and 2012 campaigns.
"It was nerve-wracking through the round,’ said Oosthuizen, “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.”
Pro V1 loyalist Joost Luiten tied for 3rd place, two shots behind Oosthuizen, while Titleist Brand Ambassador Victor Dubuisson and Pro V1x loyalist 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.