CARLSBAD, Calif., May 29, 2002 (BW SportsWire) -- Callaway Golf (NYSE: ELY) Staff Professional Kenichi Kuboya has claimed his second consecutive Japan Golf Tour title, winning the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup on Sunday. Once again, Kuboya was victorious using his Big Bertha(R) ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Driver and the CTU 30(TM) golf ball. The victory vaulted Kuboya to the top of the Japan Golf Tour money list and was the centerpiece of another week full of strong performances for Callaway Golf(R) products around the world.

The winner of the Chukyo TV Bridgestone Ladies Open used an original ERC Forged Titanium Driver, Steelhead(TM) fairway woods and an Odyssey(R) White Hot(R) 5 Putter. The veteran South Korean golfer finished at 4-under-par 212 at the 54-hole event.

Kuboya earned his victory by forcing a playoff with an eagle on the final hole of regulation play, then birdied the fourth extra hole for his second consecutive playoff win. Kuboya finished regulation play at 11-under-par 273 at Ayutaki Country Club. Using his ERC II Forged Titanium Driver, Kuboya is among the Japan Golf Tour driving distance leaders at 285.7 yards this year. With Kuboya's consecutive victories, Callaway Golf's CTU 30 Red ball has now been used to win five of the seven events played on the Japan Golf Tour this season, including the last three.

In all, Callaway Golf balls are a strong second in both victories and usage across the world's six major professional tours this year. Callaway Golf balls have been used to win 20 events on the PGA, LPGA, Senior PGA, Buy.com, PGA European and Japan Golf tours combined, while accounting for 21.1 percent of all balls in play. Callaway Golf has earned at least one ball win in each of the last six weeks. A total of 185 tour professionals teed it up with Callaway Golf balls during the week ending May 26, 2002. Aside from Titleist, no other ball manufacturer had more than 51 balls in play during the week.

Kuboya used a total of 12 Callaway Golf clubs at the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup, including Steelhead X-14(R) Pro Series Irons and an Odyssey TriHot(TM) 3 Putter. Eight of the top 10 finishers at the event used Odyssey Putters -- the putter brand that has been used to win six of the seven Japan Golf Tour events played this year.

Odyssey Putters were used to win four of the five tour events contested last weekend. In addition to Kuboya's victory, the winners of the Memorial Tournament (Odyssey White Hot 5 Putter) LPGA Corning Classic (Odyssey Dual Force(R) 330 Mallet Putter) and Volvo PGA Championship (Odyssey White Hot 4 Putter) all relied on the exceptional feel and accuracy of Odyssey Putters. Odyssey Golf has now won 29 times on the world's six major professional tours combined this year, compared with 19 wins for the nearest competitor. Odyssey Golf is also No. 1 in putter usage across the six major professional tours combined with 32.9 percent of all putters in play.

Callaway Golf Company makes and sells Big Bertha(R) Metal Woods and Irons, including Big Bertha C4(TM) Compression Cured Carbon Composite Drivers, Big Bertha ERC(R) II Forged Titanium Drivers, Big Bertha ERC Forged Titanium Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Hawk Eye(R) VFT(R) and Big Bertha Hawk Eye VFT Pro Series Titanium Drivers and Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Steelhead(TM) III Stainless Steel Drivers and Fairway Woods, Hawk Eye VFT Tungsten Injected(TM) Titanium Irons, Big Bertha Stainless Steel Irons, Steelhead X-14(R) and Steelhead X-14 Pro Series Stainless Steel Irons. Callaway Golf Company also makes and sells Odyssey(R) Putters, including White Hot(R), TriHot(TM), and Dual Force(R) Putters. Callaway Golf Company makes and sells the Callaway Golf(R) HX(TM) Blue and HX Red balls, Rule 35(R) Firmfeel(TM) and Softfeel(TM) balls, the CTU 30(TM) Blue and CTU 30 Red balls, the HX 2-Piece Blue and HX 2-Piece Red balls, and the CB1(TM) Blue and CB1 Red 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, Carlsbad
Larry Dorman/Mike Galeski/Millie Speirs
760/931-1771

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