Pro V1x loyalist Thomas Aiken dedicated his victory
to legendary golfer and Spaniard Seve Ballesteros
Fairhaven, MA (May 9, 2011) - Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf ball players charged to five victories around the globe this week, including a record-breaking performance from 24-year-old Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyung-tae Kim that moved him to No. 35 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Titleist golf ball players have now earned 47 victories across the worldwide professional tours in 2011, more than four times the nearest competitor with 10 and more than all golf balls combined. In total, 5,967 players have teed up Titleist golf balls in competition on the 2011 worldwide professional tours, more than six times the nearest competitor with 977, and more than all competitors combined.
• ONEASIA TOUR: Kim's performance at the GS Caltrex Maekyung Open was the most dominant in the tournament's 30-year history, as he fired four consecutive rounds in the 60s (67-68-66-66) for a 21-under 267 total at Namseoul Golf & Country Club in South Korea and won by eight shots.Kim rolled his Pro V1x golf ball in for 24 birdies and one eagle over the four days, making just two bogeys over his final 31 holes. Last season's Japan Tour money list winner, Kim birdied four of his first six holes after the turn Sunday to hold off a charge from Pro V1x loyalist Hyung-Sung Kim, who also closed with consecutive rounds of 6-under 66.
Kim won three times last year on the Japan Tour and has also finished T-48 or better in his last three major championship starts, including this year's Masters (T-44).
Eight of the 11 players who finished among the Top 10 and ties were Titleist golf ball players. In total, 120 players in the field trusted Titleist golf balls, 10 times the nearest competitor with 12.
Here's a closer look at Kim's Titleist equipment:Ball: Titleist Pro V1xDriver: Titleist 910D3 8.5 (Graphite Design Tour AD EV 6)Hybrid: Titleist 909H 17.0 (Fujikura Speeder 904)Irons (3-5): MB (True Temper Dynamic Gold)Irons (6-9): CB (True Temper Dynamic Gold)Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled 48º, 52º and 58º (True Temper Dynamic Gold)• EUROPEAN TOUR: After earning his first European Tour title at the Open de España, Pro V1x loyalist Thomas Aiken dedicated his victory to legendary golfer Seve Ballesteros. Ballesteros was a three-time winner of the event.Aiken closed with a 2-under 70 at the Real Club de Golf El Prat outside Barcelona, finishing at 10-under 278, two shots ahead of fellow Pro V1x loyalist Anders Hansen.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the Open de Espana with 100 players, five times the nearest competitor with 20 and more than all competitors combined.
• CHAMPIONS TOUR: Pro V1 loyalist Tom Lehman took home his second senior major championship trophy with a playoff victory over fellow Pro V1 loyalist Peter Senior at the Regions Tradition at Shoal Creek. After tying Senior in regulation at 13-under 275, Lehman tapped in for par on the second playoff hole to win for the third time in his last seven Champions Tour starts.Lehman closed with a bogey-free 3-under 69, while Senior shot 4-under 68.
Lehman made just four bogeys the entire week, finishing the week tied for second in Greens in Regulation (77.8 percent).
Titleist Brand Ambassador Jay Haas equaled his best finish of the season, sharing fifth place with four players, including Pro V1x loyalists Mark Calcavecchia and Kenny Perry.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the Regions Tradition with 53 players, more than five times the nearest competitor with 10. Titleist also was first in iron sets (22).
• CANADIAN TOUR: Titleist Brand Ambassador Jose de Jesus Rodriguez birdied the first hole of a sudden death playoff with fellow Pro V1x loyalist Roger Sloan to win the Mexican PGA Championship.
Rodriguez made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to force the playoff, shooting a final-round 5-under 67 to finish at 14-under 274. Sloan closed in 2-under 70. The win was the first of Rodriguez' Canadian Tour career.• SUNSHINE TOUR: Pro V1x loyalist Justin Walters captured his second South African Sunshine Tour title, shooting a final-round 5-under 67 to finish with 45 points and a one-point victory in the modified Stableford scoring event and lead a top-5 sweep for Titleist Pro V1x players. Walters edged Pro V1x loyalist Divan van den Heever by one point.
Titleist was the overwhelming golf ball of choice at the event with 54 players, more than three times the nearest competitor with 17 and more than all competitors combined.
• PGA TOUR: Five out of the top eight finishers at the Wells Fargo Championship trusted Titleist golf balls, including Pro V1 loyalist Jonathan Byrd, who was runner-up in a playoff after finishing regulation at 15-under 273 (66-68-67-72). Byrd was attempting to find the winner's circle on the PGA Tour for the third time in just seven months, and the second time this season following his season-opening victory at the Mercedes Championship.
Titleist Brand Ambassador Bill Haas finished third (13-under 275), while Titleist Brand Ambassador Kevin Na was fifth (12-under 276). Both Haas and Na notched their fourth top-10 finishes of the season.
In total, 102 players trusted Titleist golf balls at the event, nearly seven times the nearest competitor with 15. Titleist also was first in iron sets (46); sand, lob and approach wedges (124); and putters (64).