Carlsbad, California, United States
The winners of yesterday's professional tournaments on the PGA, European PGA and Nationwide Tours all rolled to victory with putters from Odyssey, a brand of the Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY). One of those wins was by Craig Kanada, a featured player on Odyssey's "The Grind" (www.thegrind2006.com), a Website chronicling the exploits of three Nationwide Tour golfers trying to work their way to the PGA Tour.
Kanada, 37, took a huge stride in the right direction Sunday, winning the Nationwide Tour's Utah Energy Solutions Championship at Willow Creek Country Club for his first Tour win, breaking a string of 270 starts - 212 on the Nationwide Tour and 58 on the PGA Tour - without a victory. He used his White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter to grind back from a three-stroke deficit to a one-stroke victory, finishing with a 71 for a 16-under-par 272 total and a one-stroke win over four golfers.
"I've been in contention many times, but the only thing I've won was a Northern California two-day event," said Kanada, 37. "I've played everywhere - the Canadian Tour, the Gateway Tour, the Tight Lies Tour, you name it. It's been tough. I thought about quitting if I wouldn't have gotten on this tour again this year. Just making it on this tour last fall was a huge victory and now to win one is absolutely amazing."
On the PGA Tour, the red-hot winner of the Bell Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club also used the White Hot 2-Ball Putter, setting the tone early with a course record 63 in the first round and closing with a 65 Sunday for a 14-under-par total of 266. His second win of the season and 6th top-five in 7 starts puts him second on the money list at just over $6 million.
The Omega European Masters winner blitzed the field by eight strokes with the new White Hot(R) XG #7 Center-Shafted Putter, posting a final-round 67 for a 17-under-par 267. The victory at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in the Swiss Alps was the champion's second career win and the largest winning margin of 2006 in Europe. Five of the top six finishers used Odyssey putters.
In other news, World #1 Annika Sorenstam went over the $20 million mark in career earnings with her runner-up finish at the John Q. Hammons Classic. Her $91,766 check put her at $20,000,978 and made her the first female golfer, and just the 11th professional, to reach that mark. She leads her nearest pursuer by $7.5 million. Sorenstam, a Callaway Golf Staff Pro, also uses an Odyssey putter, a White Hot 2-Ball Blade.
Tour results are through the week ending 09/10/06 and reflect data from the PGA, European PGA, LPGA and Nationwide Tours. Sources: Darrell Survey and Sports Marketing Surveys. Through an unwavering commitment to innovation, Callaway Golf creates products and services designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf accessories, under the Callaway Golf(R), Top-Flite(R), Odyssey(R) and Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information visit www.callawaygolf.com.
CONTACT: Callaway Golf Company Larry Dorman 760-931-1771
CONTACT: Callaway Golf Company Larry Dorman 760-931-1771 , ,
Source: Business Wire (Business Wire India)