Callaway Golf Drivers Remain No. 1 on World Pro Tours Combined for Second Consecutive Week

March 24, 2003 at 5:23 PM EST

CARLSBAD, Calif., Mar 24, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- For the second consecutive week, Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) is the No. 1 driver brand in play across the world's major professional tours combined. A total of 148 Callaway Golf(R) drivers were used on the PGA, Champions, LPGA and PGA European tours combined this past week, compared with 144 drivers for the nearest competitor, according to data from the Darrell Survey Co. and Sports Marketing Surveys Ltd.

"We're pleased with the way the momentum is going with driver usage on the tours," said Ron Drapeau, Chairman, President and CEO of Callaway Golf. "Our new Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Drivers are generating a lot of buzz on the tours, especially our Great Big Bertha II Pro Series model - which is the top driver model across the world's tours so far this year, including the PGA Tour."

Callaway Golf's Great Big Bertha II Pro Series Titanium Driver has been put in play 762 times across the PGA, Champions, LPGA, Nationwide and PGA European tours combined this year - more than any other single driver model. On the PGA Tour, Callaway Golf driver use has doubled this year. Callaway Golf also remains the leader across those combined tours in fairway wood and irons usage, while the Company's Odyssey(R) Golf putter brand is the leader in putter usage.

In addition to winning the overall driver, fairway woods, irons and putter counts, Callaway Golf equipment was also used by three of the four winners on the world's major professional tours yesterday:

-- Champions Tour - The winner of the Toshiba Senior Classic used an Odyssey White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter and a set of Steelhead X-14(R) Pro Series Irons. This is the second consecutive week that an Odyssey 2-Ball Putter was used to win on the Champions Tour. Eight of the top 12 finishers at the event used at least one piece of Callaway Golf equipment. -- LPGA Tour - The winner of the Safeway Ping event used a pair of Callaway Golf fairway woods. Four of the top five finishers at the event used Callaway Golf equipment. That includes Callaway Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam, who finished tied for third using 11 Callaway Golf clubs. Sorenstam teed it up for the first time on tour in 2003 using a Great Big Bertha II Pro Series Titanium Driver, a new set of Steelhead X-16(TM) Irons and a new Odyssey DFX(TM) 2-Ball Putter, along with the HX(R) Red golf ball. Sorenstam led the field in driving distance (286.9 yards) and greens hit in regulation (86 percent). -- PGA European Tour - Callaway Golf Ball Staff Professional Bradley Dredge used the CTU 30(R) Red golf ball in his impressive eight-stroke victory at the Madeira Island Open - the fourth victory for Callaway Golf balls in 12 events on the PGA European Tour this season, and the second consecutive week that the CTU 30 golf ball was used to win on the PGA European Tour. The first-time winner also used an Odyssey Dual Force(R) Putter. Eight of the top 10 finishers at the event used at least one piece of Callaway Golf equipment.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha(R) II Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(TM) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-16(TM) and Steelhead X-16 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons, and Callaway Golf Forged Wedges. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(R), DFX(TM) and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(R) Blue and HX Red balls, the CTU 30(R) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, the HX 2-Piece Blue and HX 2-Piece Red balls, the CB1(R) Blue and CB1 Red balls, and the Warbird(TM) golf balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com.

 

CONTACT:
Callaway Golf Company
Larry Dorman / Mike Galeski
760/931-1771