Annika Sorenstam And Jim Colbert Highlight A Three-win Weekend For Callaway Golf’s “Rule 35” Ball
Annika Sorenstam And Jim Colbert Highlight A Three-win Weekend For Callaway Golf’s “Rule 35” Ball
March 13, 2001 at 12:00 AM EST
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, Millie Speirs (760) 931-1771
CARLSBAD, CA., March 13, 2001 – Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) and its “Rule 35™” golf ball surged to a three-win weekend, bringing the Company’s worldwide ball win total to 39 since the beginning of the 2000 season. The latest victories belonged to Callaway Golf Staff Professionals Annika Sorenstam and Jim Colbert, along with the winner of the Qatar Masters – a non-staff player who is not paid to use the “Rule 35” ball.
In all, 104 golfers used a “Rule 35” ball across the PGA, Senior PGA, LPGA, Buy.com and PGA European tours combined last week. This ranks Callaway Golf’s “Rule 35” the #2 ball in use on these five tours combined.
Sorenstam dominated the Welch’s/Circle K Championship using the “Rule 35” Softfeel™ (blue logo) model. In her successful title defense, Sorenstam shot the second-lowest tournament score in LPGA Tour history – a 23-under-par 265 that featured 24 birdies against a solitary bogey over 72 holes. Sorenstam took full advantage of the benefits the “Rule 35” provides her by carrying tee shots beyond those of her playing partners and attacking the pins with spin and accuracy. Since switching to a Callaway Golf ball last season, Sorenstam has won six times and satisfied the performance requirements for the LPGA Hall of Fame.
In three starts using the “Rule 35” Softfeel model this year, Sorenstam has two second-place finishes and a victory. She also leads the LPGA in money won, scoring average (68.5) and player of the year points. Five of the top 15 finishers at the Welch’s/Circle K Championship used “Rule 35” balls. In all, 40 golfers put a “Rule 35” ball in play at the event, doubling the number of balls in play for the No. 3 ball manufacturer at the event. Callaway Golf now has three ball wins on the LPGA Tour this year – more than any other ball manufacturer.
Colbert won the SBC Senior Classic using the “Rule 35” Firmfeel™ (red logo) model, posting his first official victory on the Senior PGA Tour since 1998. Colbert now has 20 wins on the Senior PGA Tour, and at age 60 he becomes the oldest player to have ever won using a “Rule 35” ball. Colbert led a group of seven golfers to finish in the top-12 at the event using the Firmfeel model. Of the 33 players to use “Rule 35” balls at the SBC Senior Classic, 32 chose to use the Firmfeel model. In 2001, 41 percent of the golf balls put in play on the Senior PGA Tour have been “Rule 35” balls, putting Callaway Golf within striking distance of the No. 1 ball at 48.6 percent. The No. 3 ball on the senior tour has accounted for only 4 percent of the balls in play this year.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Qatar Masters used a “Rule 35” Softfeel ball to record the sixth victory of his PGA European Tour career. He was one of 17 golfers to use a “Rule 35” ball on the European tour last weekend.
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha ERC™ II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha Hawk Eye® VFT™ and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead Plus™ Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye Tungsten Injected™ Titanium Irons, Steelhead™ X-14® and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® Putters, including White Hot®, TriHot™, and Dual Force® Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf® “Rule 35®” Firmfeel™ and Softfeel™ golf balls, and the CB1™ Red golf ball. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit our Web sites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.