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Ernie Els wins Honda Classic with FT-i Driver and Tour ix Golf Ball; Lorena Ochoa uses Tour i Golf Ball to win HSBC Women's Champions
Callaway Golf, March 2, 2008
Drought? What drought? Armed with his FT-i Driver and the new Tour ix Golf Ball from Callaway Golf, Ernie Els broke through to win the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic on Sunday in come-from-behind fashion. The one-shot victory was Els’ first PGA Tour win since 2004, despite a host of near-victories around the world during that time.
On the LPGA Tour, Callaway Golf Ball Staff Member Lorena Ochoa made it two wins in one weekend for the Tour i Series, using the Tour i Golf Ball to run away with the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore by 11 shots.
Els did his part by playing four great rounds of golf on the challenging Champion Course at PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He shot 67-70-70-67 to finish the tournament at 6-under-par. In addition to the FT-i Driver and the Tour ix Golf Ball, Els used a Tour 15° X Fairway Wood, X 5-wood, X Prototype Irons and the Odyssey White Hot XG #5 Putter. He was also wearing the HX Tour Golf Shoe from Callaway Golf's Tour Authentic Line of Footwear.
“I really feel very grateful and happy,” said the man known as The Big Easy. “Obviously it's been quite a ride, you know, especially over here. I've won tournaments around the world, scarce tournaments around the world here and there, but obviously to win over here, it's been really my goal. So, it's a great feeling.”
Els’ final-round, 3-under 67 included just one bogey amid windy, difficult conditions that proved too much for the competition. His Sunday effort tied for the low round of the day and allowed him to come from three shots back starting the day. For the week, Els averaged 291 yards off the tee using his FT-i Driver and hit 71 percent of greens in regulation.
“Yeah, chasing, you need tough conditions, because if the wind wasn't blowing like it was (Saturday), the leader shoots 66, you've got no chance, which is very doable out here if the wind doesn't blow,” Els said. “So I was happy that the wind blew, and I knew that I'm not too bad of a wind player. I've played a lot of golf around the world, and obviously the British Open, so I've had my fair share of playing in wind, so I felt quite comfortable with that.”
On the LPGA Tour, Ochoa also the new Tour i Series Golf Ball to win her first event of 2008 at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore on Sunday. Despite terrible weather and rain delays that caused her final round to last eight hours, Ochoa ran away from the field to finish at 20-under-par and win by 11 strokes. Callaway Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam finished second and fellow Callaway Golf Staffer Morgan Pressel tied for eighth. Sorenstam and Pressel each used the Tour ix Golf Ball and a full bag of Callaway Golf equipment.
For Ochoa, the No. 1 ranked player in the world, the Tanah Merah Country Club provided the perfect venue for her four-round clinic. Ochoa shot 66-65-69-68 over four days, carding 23 birdies and just three bogeys using Callaway Golf’s new, four-piece golf ball with inertia technology.
"I'm really happy. It's a fantastic week," Ochoa said. "I learned a lot, and I took my game to a new level, so I'm going to keep trying to repeat myself. There are a lot of birdies out there, and hopefully I'll have great rounds this year."
“I always like to do my own game and worry about the things I can control,” she added. “It can be anybody. We know Annika is back and she's healthy and she likes to win. But there are so many other good players that I don't want to miss, so I'm going to just try to focus on my game and do that every week.”
Sorenstam, the No. 2 ranked player in the world, finished the tournament at 9-under-par after rounds of 71-67-70-71. She used the FT-5 Driver, Tour 15° X Fairway Wood, X 5-wood, a mixed set of X Prototype Irons and X-18 Irons, as well as the Tour ix Golf Ball and the Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball Blade Putter.
“I need to work on my putting,” Sorenstam said. “But I'm striking it really well, driving it well, good iron shots. That's really all that matters.”
“(Lorena) is playing well, but it's nothing I don't think that's not achievable by any means,” Sorenstam added. “I think I'm playing as good from tee to green, so I'm very proud of the way I hit it.”
Pressel also enjoyed another strong showing. She played consistent golf, shooting 70-71-73-71 to finish 3-under-par. Pressel used the FT-5 Driver, Big Bertha Strong 3-wood, X 5- and 7-woods, a 4H FT Hybrid, X-Forged Irons, the Tour ix Golf Ball and the Odyssey White Hot Tour 2 Putter. Both Sorenstam and Pressel wore footwear from Callaway Golf's Tour Authentic Line.
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