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Mickelson uses I-MIX Technology to card 1-under 71 at Augusta; Player tees it up in his 51st Masters, Palmer is honorary starter
Callaway Golf, April 10, 2008
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The 72nd Masters got underway with some major contributions from two legendary Callaway Golf Staff Professionals in Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, but today’s PGA Tour stars took over from there.
Two-time Masters Champion Phil Mickelson broke out some of Callaway Golf's latest innovative technology on Thursday, and used it to card a 1-under-par 71 that left him just three shots off the lead. Lefty was 2-under-par through two holes and finished the day with a total of three birdies and a pair of bogeys. He is using the FT-5 Driver with new I-MIX Technology, the FT Tour 13° Fairway Wood, X-Prototype Irons, the Tour ix Golf Ball and the Black Series i #9 Putter.
I-MIX Technology in the FT-5 Driver allows Mickelson to interchange shafts and clubheads from day to day depending on the course conditions at Augusta National. (Learn more about I-MIX Technology here.) This personalization technology is also available in the FT-i Driver. Mickelson will tee off early on Friday after starting late in the day on Thursday.
Fellow Callaway Golf Staff Pro Ernie Els, still looking for his first Green Jacket, carded a 2-over-par 74. Els is using the FT-i Driver, Tour 15° X Fairway Wood, X 5-wood, X-Prototype Irons, the Tour i Golf Ball and the Odyssey White Hot XG #5 Putter.
Another Callaway Golf Staff Professional, England’s Nick Dougherty, also carded a 2-over-par 74.
The 72-year-old Player broke the record for most Masters tournaments played on Thursday when he teed it up in his 51st. Using a full bag of Callaway Golf equipment, Player shot an 11-over-par 83 on a course that is much longer than the one he first played as a 21-year-old in 1957.
“Man, that's a tough golf course. That is so tough. No question, the toughest golf course that I've ever played, not even a doubt,” Player said to laughs from the media. “Well, par for me is 80, so I was 3-over par today. I played the back nine well. It's long. Every hole is a wood for me. I thought the course was marvelous.”
The 72nd Masters Tournament began with Palmer hitting the ceremonial first tee shot early Thursday morning. Using the FT-i Driver, also with the new I-MIX Technology from Callaway Golf, Palmer hit his Callaway Golf ball into a dense fog. “I hit it out of sight,” he joked. For the record, the ball landed in the middle of the fairway.
The four-time Masters Champion was also wearing his new, solid white So Cal Saddle Golf Shoes from Callaway Golf. Palmer even stopped to speak with Augusta National chairman Billy Payne, saying, “How do you like my new shoes?”
“It was fun," said Palmer, who was handling the duties of honorary starter for the second consecutive year. “I can tell you, it went a lot farther 50 years ago. But this is a great tradition, and I'm happy to be here, and the enthusiasm here this morning, it's very special."
On the LPGA Tour, Callaway Golf Ball Staff Professional Lorena Ochoa continued her torrid play in her home country of Mexico at the Corona Morelia Championship. Just four days after she used the Tour i Golf Ball to win the season’s first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, by five strokes, Ochoa carded a 7-under-par 66 to grab a share of the first-round lead.
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