PGA TOUR:
Titleist Brand Ambassador Adam Scott held off a world-class field on a world-class golf course to capture The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club. Scott closed with a one-under par 70 en route to an 11-under par 273 victory total.
Having just notched a victory at the Australian PGA Championship in December, the win is the 14th of Scott’s PGA TOUR career and his 31st across the worldwide professional tours, moving him into No. 6 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Scott also won this event in 2005, but that victory was not considered official because it had been shortened to 36 holes after heavy rain soaked the course.
This week was considered the strongest regular season field on the PGA TOUR in 13 years, with 9 of the top 10 players in the OWGR teeing it up.
WHAT’S IN ADAM SCOTT’S WINNING TITLEIST BAG?:
Pro V1 golf ball, TS4 (10.5°) driver, TS2 (16.5°) fairway metal, 716 T-MB (3) utility iron, 680 MB (4-9) irons, Vokey Design SM8 pitching (48.10F), gap (52.12F @ 10), sand (56.10S) and lob (60.06K) wedges, and Scotty Cameron Xperimental long putter.
JUST THE STATS:
Trusting his Titleist equipment from tee-through-green, Scott was among the leaders in just about every major statistical category, including topping the field in Greens in Regulation at a 72.22% (52 of 72) clip. He tied for first in Birdies (21), and was 3rd in SG: Tee to Green (10.357) and SG: Approach to the Green (6.247). He also recorded and average Driving Distance of 305.2 with his Titleist TS4 driver.
According to Titleist Tour Representative J.J. VanWezenbeeck: “Adam switched to the TS4 driver at the ZoZo Championship due to head size, shape, and improved launch to spin ratios. This week, following a conversation with Adam, he decided to switch to a shaft [Mitsubishi Kurokage S Tini 80] he had previously played for increased stability. He felt the shaft went a little far and he lost head feel. We went on course with lead tape to get the ‘feels’ to match up, then weighted the head to his preferred swing weight after testing.”
While there were only four Titleist TS4 drivers in play at The Genesis Invitational, three of them [Scott, Max Homa/T5 and Russell Henley/T17] were in the bags of players battling for the championship on Sunday. The TS4 is an ultra-low spinning design and complement to the TS2 and TS3 [the most played model on the PGA TOUR]. The TS4 features a 430cc head volume, which is smaller than the size of the TS2/TS3, both 460cc.
According to Wezenbeeck: “While most golfers find their best fit in a TS2 or TS3 driver, there is a small percentage of players out there with distinct performance needs, such as aggressive spin reduction. The TS4 is for those golfers who create too much spin because of the way they deliver the club head. We know through player testing that TS4 provides these players greater distance consistency versus what they were seeing in a higher-MOI product.”
TRIPLE SWEEP:
After sweeping every major equipment count at 13 PGA TOUR events in 2019, Titleist secured a third straight in 2020 at this week’s The Genesis Invitational. From golf balls, to drivers, fairways and hybrids, to utilities, iron sets, wedges and putters – Titleist has now been the top choice of more players across every category at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.
Sung Kang (Pro V1x, TS3/9.5° driver) and Scott Brown (Pro V1x) were among three players who tied for 2nd. Brown switched to the 2019 Pro V1x for the first time this week.
CHAMPIONS:
Scott Parel (Pro V1x) overcame a three-shot final round deficit, closing with an 8-under 63 to win the Chubb Classic by two shots over Bob Estes (Pro V1x).
It marked the third career victory for Parel, who tied a tournament record by carding a 17-under 196 victory total. Kevin Sutherland (Pro V1x) and Bernhard Langer (Pro V1) tied for third as each of the top four finishers trusted Titleist golf balls for their success.
In fact, Parel topped a leaderboard on which 11 of the 14 players who finished among the Top 10 and ties played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.
AUSTRALASIA:
Titleist Brand Ambassador Michael Sim (Pro V1x, TS4 driver, 718 T-MB 2-iron, T100 irons/3-PW, Vokey Design SM7 wedges, Scotty Cameron Squareback putter) captured the Queensland PGA Championship, surviving a four-hole sudden death playoff with a winning par against good friend and roommate for the week Scott Arnold (Pro V1, Vokey Design SM7 wedges). Sim birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.
Titleist full product line players Michael Hendry, Dimi Papadatos and Brad Kennedy finished in a tie for third with Titleist golf ball loyalist Chang Gi Lee. In fact, all 13 players who finished among the top 10 and ties relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.