Callaway Golf Staff Professional Jim Thorpe Wins Second Consecutive Tournament Using “Rule 35” Ball, Prototype Driver
Callaway Golf Staff Professional Jim Thorpe Wins Second Consecutive Tournament Using “Rule 35” Ball, Prototype Driver
October 16, 2000 at 12:00 AM EDT
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, Millie Speirs (760) 931-1771
CARLSBAD, CA., October 16, 2000 – For the second time in as many weeks, Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Jim Thorpe has won a Senior PGA Tour event and set a scoring record in the process. Thorpe’s sizzling second-round 62 helped him to a two-stroke victory at the Gold Rush Classic. His 21-under-par total of 195 was the lowest score shot on the Senior PGA Tour this year, and it shattered the tournament record of 199 set last year by fellow Callaway Golf Staff Professional David Graham.
As he did at The Transamerica the previous week, Thorpe powered his way to victory using a “Rule 35™” Firmfeel™ (red logo) ball and his new Callaway Golf prototype titanium driver. Thorpe made seven consecutive birdies during his 10-under par performance in the second round, and he has shot 37-under par in the nine rounds he has played since switching to the prototype driver three weeks ago – including seven straight rounds of 68 or better. He’s the first Senior PGA Tour player to post consecutive sub-200 tournament scores since Gibby Gilbert did so in 1992.
“You get into a zone, and I feel like I’m there right now,” said Thorpe, 51. “My game is on and I’ve got a lot of confidence since switching to my new driver. Things are beautiful.” Thorpe used a total of 13 Callaway Golf® clubs at theGold Rush Classic. In addition to the prototype driver, he carried a Steelhead Plus™ 3-wood and 4-wood and Big Bertha® X-12® Pro Series Irons and Wedges. Thorpe’s latest win is the fifth for Callaway Golf’s prototype titanium driver over the last month.
Including Thorpe, three of the top four finishers at the Gold Rush Classic used the Callaway Golf “Rule 35” Firmfeel ball. The “Rule 35” ball also had another exceptional showing on the LPGA Tour, as four of the top 10 finishers at the Samsung World Championship used the ball. That includes Callaway Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam, whose second-place finish using the “Rule 35” Softfeel™ (blue logo) was her 14th top-10 finish of the season – including five victories.
The Callaway Golf “Rule 35” ball was the second most-played ball on the Senior PGA and LPGA tours last week. In all, 28 seniors put the “Rule 35” ball in play at the Gold Rush Classic, making Callaway Golf one of just two ball manufacturers to have double-digit usage numbers at the event. And seven of the 20 participants at the Samsung World Championship relied on the Complete Performance™ of Callaway Golf balls.
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha® Hawk Eye® Titanium Metal Woods and Hawk Eye Tungsten Injected™ Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus™ Stainless Steel Metal Woods, Steelhead™ X-14® Stainless Steel Irons, and Bobby Jones® and Carlsbad Series™ Putters. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® putters with Stronomic® inserts, including White Hot™ and TriForce® Putters. Callaway Golf Ball Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Callaway Golf Company, makes and sells the Callaway Golf "Rule 35™" Firmfeel™ and Softfeel™ golf balls. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.