It was a week of firsts across the worldwide professional golf tours, as players trusting the #1 ball in golf added three more victories to the Titleist win total.
Leading the way was Titleist Brand Ambassador Justin Harding, who trusted a Pro V1 golf ball and Titleist clubs tee-to-green in capturing his first European Tour title in Qatar.
On the other side of the equator, a 17-year-old amateur took the Australasian Tour by storm, firing four sub-70 rounds with the new Pro V1 golf ball and TS metals to become the first amateur ever to win the New Zealand PGA Championship.
And on the PGA Tour Champions, Kirk Triplett became the first tour player to win with the new 2019 Pro V1 Yellow golf ball, winning in playoff fashion with an eagle at the Hoag Classic.
Players trusting their games to a Titleist golf ball have now collected 29 wins across the worldwide professional tours, more than three times more wins than the nearest competing brand with 9 and more than all competing brands combined.
Let’s take a closer look at this past week’s Titleist tour highlights…
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Justin Harding | Pro V1 - Qatar Masters
Titleist Brand Ambassador Justin Harding (Pro V1) earned his first career European Tour title over the weekend, capturing the Qatar Masters by two shots. The South African has been on a hot streak as of late, having won twice on the Asian Tour and twice on the Sunshine Tour in the past year. This victory should move him into the Top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Harding emerged from a group of 15 golfers who were within three shots of the overnight leader at Doha Golf Club. He carded three birdies on the first four holes, and three birdies over his final four holes - including the 17th and 18th - en route to a closing 6-under-par 66 and a 13-under 275 victory total.
A European Tour record nine players tied for 2nd at 11-under par, including Jinho Choi (new 2019 Pro V1x), who set the early clubhouse lead following a blistering Sunday-best, 8-under-par 64.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Qatar Masters with 96 players in the field of 144 teeing up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than four times the nearest competitor with 22. The new 2019 Pro V1x and Pro V1 were the two most played golf ball models – more than all other competitive golf ball models combined.
Titleist was also the field favorite in the hybrid (25), irons (43) and wedge (215) categories. The Titleist TS3 was, once again, the most played driver model with 28 in play, while the 718 CB (19) and 718 AP2 (15) were the top two iron models.
In addition to playing the Pro V1 golf ball, Harding only carried one metal, and that was the Titleist TS (8.5) driver. He became the third player on the European Tour to win with a new TS driver.
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Let's take a closer look at all the Titleist equipment that Justin relied on to win in Qatar.
Golf Ball: New 2019 Pro V1x
Driver: TS2 (8.5º)
Irons: 718 T-MB (2,3), 718 MB (4-PW)
Wedges: Vokey Design SM7 pitching gap (50.12 F Grind), sand (54.08 M Grind) and lob (60.10 S Grind)
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Kirk Triplett | New 2019 Pro V1 Yellow - Hoag Classic
Long time Titleist golf ball loyalist Kirk Triplett made Titleist history on Sunday at the Hoag Classic (formerly the Toshiba Senior Classic), becoming the first player to win on the worldwide professional tours with new 2019 Pro V1 golf ball. Triplett made the win a very memorable one, after he eagled the second hole of a sudden death playoff with Woody Austin (Pro V1x).
Both Triplet and Austin finished regulation at 10-under 203 at Newport Beach Country Club, topping a leaderboard that saw 10 of the 13 players who finished among the top 10 and ties trusting Titleist golf balls for their success.
Triplett’s victory marks the fourth win by a player trusting a Titleist golf ball in five events this season on the PGA Tour Champions.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Hoag Classic with 78% of the 78-player field (61 players) teeing up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x. That’s more than seven times the nearest competitor with 10% (8 players).
Triplett’s win was timely for Titleist, as the new 2019 Pro V1 and Pro V1x Yellow golf balls will be available for the first time in golf shops beginning this Friday, March 15.
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A 17-year old amateur (new 2019 Pro V1, TS3 driver and fairway metal, Vokey Design SM7 lob wedge, Scotty Cameron Newport putter) won the New Zealand PGA Championship, becoming the first amateur ever to win the tournament.
The high-schooler from New Zealand fired a 65 on Monday to win the qualifier, and then followed it up with four consecutive rounds in the 60’s (67-65-66-69) to win the event with a 21-under par 267 victory total.
He finished four shots clear of runner-up David Smail (new 2019 Pro V1x, TS3 driver, TS2 fairway, 816H1 hybrid, 718 AP2 irons, Vokey Design SM7 wedges).
Cameron John (new 2019 Pro V1, TS driver and fairway metal, 716 T-MB 2 iron, 718 MB irons, Vokey Design SM7 wedges, Scotty Cameron GoLo putter) finished solo 3rd, another shot back.
Every player who finished among the top 31 (!) on the leaderboard relied upon a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x for his success.
Titleist was the most played golf ball at the New Zealand PGA Championship with 86% of players in the field of 132 (113 players) trusting their success to a Pro V1 or Pro V1x. That’s more than 14 times the nearest competitor with 6% (8 players).
Titleist was also the overwhelming top choice in the driver (65) category. That was more than twice the nearest competitor and more than all other drivers in the field.
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Congratulations to all of #TeamTitleist!
Click here for a listing of all Titleist golf ball wins this season.