Callaway Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam Earns Hall Of Fame Eligibility With Latest Victory
Callaway Golf Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam Earns Hall Of Fame Eligibility With Latest Victory
March 13, 2000 at 12:00 AM EST
CONTACT(S): Larry Dorman, Mike Galeski, Peter Gotfredson, Jamie Taylor (760) 931-1771
CARLSBAD, CA., March 13, 2000 – Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Annika Sorenstam scored a historic double victory this past weekend – winning the Welch’s/Circle K Championship and securing a spot in the LPGA Hall of Fame.
Sorenstam’s 19th LPGA Tour win, combined with her three Rolex Player of the Year awards and two Vare Trophies, assured her eventual enshrinement in the LPGA Hall of Fame. She will officially enter the Hall when she finishes her 10th year on tour. This is Sorenstam’s seventh season on the LPGA Tour.
“It just feels so unreal,” said Sorenstam, 29. “I have to wait another three-and-a-half years, but it’s exciting to be a part of an elite group like that. It’s a dream come true.”
Sorenstam earned her playoff victory at the Welch’s/Circle K Championship using 11 Callaway Golf® clubs, including her new Steelhead Plus™ 3-wood and 7-wood, Steelhead X-14™ Irons and an Odyssey® White Hot™ 2 Putter. Sorenstam also used a prototype Callaway Golf ball. Callaway Golf Staff Professionals have been playing a USGA-approved prototype version of the golf ball in competition since January. The professionals will begin switching to Callaway’s new “Rule 35”™ ball – which comes in either Firmfeel™ (red logo) or Softfeel™ (blue logo) – when it appears on the USGA approved ball list on March 20.
Sorenstam’s victory in Tucson, where she played college golf at the University of Arizona, was punctuated by spectacular shotmaking. During the third round, Sorenstam aced the 16th hole with a 9-iron from 132 yards. In the final round, she holed a wedge shot from 114 yards for an eagle on the 9th hole en route to a final score of 19-under-par. Sorenstam birdied the 18th hole twice in the playoff, making a four-foot birdie putt to win after her opponent had made par.
“We all join in congratulating Annika on this extraordinary achievement,” said Chuck Yash, President of Callaway Golf Company. “We are very proud to be associated with a such an outstanding golfer and exceptional person.”
Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha® Metal Woods and Irons, including Great Big Bertha® Hawk Eye® Titanium Metal Woods and Tungsten Injected™ Titanium Irons, Big Bertha® Steelhead Plus™ Stainless Steel Metal Woods and Steelhead® X-14™ Stainless Steel Irons, and Bobby Jones® and Carlsbad Series™ Putters. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey® Putters and wedges with Stronomic® and Lyconite® inserts, including the White Hot™ and TriForce™ Putters. Callaway Golf Ball Company launched its Firmfeel™ and Softfeel™ golf balls on February 4, 2000. For more information about Callaway Golf Company, please visit any of the company’s websites at www.callawaygolf.com, www.callawaygolfball.com and www.odysseygolf.com.