Hovland Headlines 9-Win-Week for Titleist Players Across Worldwide Tours

By Zack R., Team Titleist Staff On 21 August 2023 Balls Tour Clubs

PGA TOUR | BMW Championship

In absolute control of his Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, Viktor Hovland posted a 9-under 61 Sunday at Olympia Fields Country Club to claim his second win of 2023 and fifth-career PGA TOUR title, seizing the trophy with a final-nine 28 that included five approach shots inside 9 feet.

  • His career low round on the PGA TOUR, Hovland’s 10-birdie finale set a new course record at Olympia Fields County Club. It’s also the lowest final round ever shot in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
  • Hovland led a 1-2-3 finish for Titleist golf ball players, with Matt Fitzpatrick (Pro V1x) taking second place.
  • Six of the Top 7 and 16 of the top 21 played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x .
  • “To win at a place like this and amongst the best players in the world, it’s pretty cool,” Hovland said, “and to do it that way, making seven birdies the last nine holes, and yeah, to beat those guys, that was pretty cool.”
  • Hovland, who hasn’t missed a cut all season on the PGA TOUR (21-for-21), hit 58 greens in regulation (81%) over the four days at Olympia Fields, including his final nine.
  • Seven of his final nine approaches finished within 15 feet of the hole. (The field’s average proximity for the week was 33’5”.)
  • He made eight 3’s and gained 3.48 strokes with his approach play on the back nine Sunday.

HOVLAND ON HIS PRO V1

  • “It's just something that I’ve always played. I remember growing up in Norway when we would in the summer at night, we would go out and fish for lake balls and try to find as many Pro V1's as possible.”
  • “I just always grew up with the Titleist Pro V1 feel and always loved it. There was not a thought in my head that occurred, ‘Oh, I should maybe try a different ball.’ Why would I? I was really happy with the consistency. I think there’s always been this consensus that you go in the pro shop and you buy a sleeve of balls, you’re going to get the same ball as the last time you bought the sleeve of balls. I think that consistency gives you that reassurance that you know what you’re going to get.”
  • “It's been number one for so long. I don’t think that’s a coincidence. So knowing that I have the best product when I go out there and play, I think that gives me confidence. I don’t have to wonder or think I’m giving shots away before I’ve even started the round. So I think that’s a nice thing to have with you.”

HOVLAND’S 'PERFORMANCE ALIGNMENT’ BALL MARKING

  • Viktor Hovland, who marks his Pro V1 with a long, black line that he uses to help line up putts, is among the group of players who inspired last week’s launch of the new Performance Alignment marking available on Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls.
  • “I use a black line, because I cannot putt without this,” said Hovland, who rolled in seven back-nine birdies Sunday, ranging from 19 inches to 12 feet. “I literally cannot aim.”
  • A long, straight line is one of the most common markings found on the Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls that are put in play across the worldwide professional tours, helping players take dead aim and hit their start-lines with confidence.
  • Titleist’s new Performance Alignment aid provides golfers with this tour-proven marking straight out of the sleeve.
  • Available in black, red, blue and green, the Performance Alignment aid is designed with a subtle arrow shape, 105 degrees in length, custom printed on each golf ball opposite the Pro V1 or Pro V1x sidestamp.
  • The marking is 60 percent longer than a standard Titleist sidestamp.
  • “I’ve just never been good at just standing over the ball and being able to aim that way,” Hovland said. “I’ve found it’s really helped my putting, especially on the short ones, when there’s not too much break involved. I just did a blind test with a line on and then without a line, and I just aimed it miles better with a line on.”
  • Read More: https://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/posts/titleist-introduces-new-performance-alignment-on-pro-v1-and-pro-v1x-golf-balls

CHAMPION WINS WITH NEW U•505 UTILITY IRON

  • The winner of the BMW Championship gamed a NEW Titleist U•505 3 utility iron which he put in play for the first time at this summer’s U.S. Open.
  • He has carried a Titleist U-Series driving iron ever since the Tokyo Olympics, where he was looking for a high-launching option in an iron profile.
  • For the player seeking increased launch and speed at the top end of their bag, the NEW U•505 is an extremely versatile, high-launching utility iron that now looks and feels dramatically better.
  • NEW U•505 features an updated, clean design that inspires confidence at address, while the refined Max Impact Technology, re-engineered chassis and new Variable Bounce Sole work together to drastically improve feel and playability. The result is an extremely fast, forgiving and versatile utility iron.
  • “Between all the changes that we made to U•505, the performance goal was to make all launch parameters across the face more consistent – from spin to launch to speed,” said Marni Ines, Director, Titleist Irons Development, Golf Club R&D. “And along with improving U•505’s playability, feel and looks were paramount. We worked extremely hard on fine-tuning sound on this iron so that impact feels fantastic. Along with that improved feel, U•505 also got an updated, tour inspired profile, so that from address, it presents a really clean and player-preferred shape.”
  • Week in and week out, Titleist is the most played utility iron on the PGA TOUR, providing players an unparalleled combination of high launch, increased ball speed and forgiveness at the top end of their set.
  • Read more: https://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/posts/titleist-introduces-new-u-505-and-t200-utility-irons

LPGA | ISPS Handa Invitational

Titleist Brand Ambassador Alexa Pano birdied the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim her first career LPGA victory – on her 19th birthday.

  • Gaming a Pro V1 golf ball, TSR3 driver and 14 Titleist clubs, Pano made five back-nine birdies Sunday to shoot 6-under 66 and post the clubhouse lead at 8 under.
  • The LPGA rookie birdied the first extra hole and after a par on the second, birdied the 18th for the third time in four trips (including regulation) to claim the trophy.
  • “I've been dreaming of this for so long, even just putts on the practice green saying, this is to win an LPGA event,” Pano said. “To finally have that putt and have that opportunity, it just exceeded my expectations and it was so much fun.”

What’s in the Bag? | Alexa Pano

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: TSR3 8.0°
Fairway Metals: TSR3 13.5°, 18.0°
Hybrid: 818 H1 21.0°
Irons: T100•S 5-9
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 50.12F, 54.14F, 58.12D
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 tour prototype

PANO ON HER PRO V1

“I play the Pro V1 model, and I play that because it’s the best fit for me. I can rely on the spin with low and high shots and distance off the tee. I have a lot of confidence in that model. I’ve been using it basically my whole life. It’s really reliable and good for me.”

“I’m a big feel player when I compete, so probably the feel of the Pro V1 [is most important]. Even trying other balls on a range or playing an alternate shot round, there’s nothing like the Pro V1, and I can rely on that feel when I’m playing and feel confident in what I’m hitting every time.”

DP WORLD TOUR | ISPS Handa Invitational

Daniel Brown (Pro V1) won his first career DP World Tour event in runaway fashion, posting a final round 69 to reach 15 under and win by five shots.

  • The win comes in just the 20th DP World Tour start for Brown, who led the entire way after an opening 64.
  • Brown has shown steady play all year in his first season on tour, making 16 of 19 cuts, recording three top-10s and more recently, turning in 12 consecutive sub-70 rounds.
  • Eight of the top ten finishers played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball, including runner-up Alex Fitzpatrick (Pro V1).

KORN FERRY TOUR | Magnit Championship

Chan Kim (Pro V1) claimed his first career victory on the Korn Ferry Tour, shooting a final round 8-under 64.

  • Kim's final round, which tied for the low round of the day, featured four birdies and an eagle coming down the stretch on holes 12-18.
  • His strong finish saw him reach 20 under par for the week at Metedeconk National and secure a three-shot margin of victory.
  • Kim – who has won eight times on the JGTO – is now projected to move to No. 12 in the KFT season-long points list with the win.
  • Thirteen of the top 15 finishers on Sunday’s final leader board played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x  golf ball.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS | Shaw Charity Classic

Ken Duke (Pro V1) shot three rounds of 66 or better (66-64-66) on his way to posting 14 under and clinching the one-shot win.

  • Duke made 18 birdies for the week around Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club while hitting 74% of his greens in regulation and getting up-and-down 79% of the time.
  • With Duke’s victory, Titleist golf ball players have now won 14 straight Champions Tour events, as well as 18 of 19 total events this 2023 season.

AMATEUR | U.S. Amateur Championship

Trusting a Pro V1 golf ball, the 123rd U.S. Amateur Champion made history on Sunday at Cherry Hills Country Club, as his 4-and-3 victory in the 36-hole championship match made him just the second player in history to win both the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Junior Amateur.

  • The Alabama-native closed out the tournament with a winning-par 3 on the 33rd hole of the day of the all-Titleist golf ball final.
  • Sunday’s match was one for the books, as both competitors shot matching 66’s around Cherry Hills’ difficult par-71 layout in the morning, all tied heading into the afternoon.
  • After making six birdies in his first 18 holes, the eventual champion built a 2-up lead with four birdies in the first five holes of the second 18.
  • He won three more holes before halving the last for victory.
  • A win in Denver this week also makes it the third win this summer for the U.S. Am champ, as he was victorious in two of the seven Elite Amateur Golf Series events (Northeast Amateur, North & South Amateur).
  • In addition to taking home the Havemeyer Trophy, this week’s champion receives an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. as well as an invitation into the 2024 Masters and an exemption into the 2024 Open Championship, provided he remains amateur.

TITLEIST SWEEPS EQUIPMENT COUNTS AT THE U.S. AM

  • This week at Cherry Hills, Titleist was the overwhelming #1 ball and the most played brand in all major equipment categories:
    • A total of 262 players teed up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball, more than ten times the nearest competitor (25) and 84% of the 312-player field.
    • There were 132 players gaming a Titleist driver (43%), compared to 70 (23%) for the nearest competitor. The field's favorite model was TSR3, with 78 in play this week.
    • Titleist was the top choice in fairways (139, 38%) and hybrids (38, 43%), and there were 106 Titleist utility irons in play in stroke play (62%), more than five times the nearest competitor (21).
    • 133 players were gaming Titleist iron sets, accounting for 42% of the field. Nearest competitor: 55 (18%).
    • There were a total of 558 (61%) Vokey Design gap, sand and lob wedges in play, more than all other brands combined.
    • On the greens, 115 players gamed a Scotty Cameron putter, compared to 67 for the next closest brand.
  • Following two rounds of stroke play (one at Cherry Hills C.C., the other at Colorado Golf Club), 64 players out of the 312-player field advanced to match play. After the 36-hole cut:
    • Fifty-one players played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x (80%), compared to the nearest competitor (7).There were 27 Titleist drivers in play as well as 27 Titleist iron sets.
    • Thirty-one players had at least one Vokey Design wedge in the bag.
    • Seven of the eight competitors in the quarterfinal matches played a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, including the champion (Pro V1) and the runner-up (Pro V1x).
    • Five of the eight quarterfinalists played a TSR3 driver, including the runner-up (TSR3 8.0°).
  • The clear favorite among the best amateurs in the world, Titleist also swept the counts at last week's U.S. Women’s Amateur, as well as this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s National Championships, the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, U.S. Four-Ball Championship and all seven Elite Amateur Golf Series events (Sunnehanna Amateur, Northeast Amateur, North and South Amateur, Trans-Mississippi Amateur, Southern Amateur, Pacific Coast Amateur, Western Amateur). 

ASIAN TOUR | International Series England

Titleist Brand Ambassador Andy Ogletree won his third Asian Tour title in the past nine months, recording a final round 7-under 64 to win by seven shots.

  • Ogletree – playing a Pro V1 golf ball and TSR2 driver among his Titleist set-up – extended his lead at the top of the International Series Order of Merit with his win this week in Newcastle. 
  • Each of the top eight finishers played a Titleist golf ball this week in England.

What’s in the Bag? | Andy Ogletree

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1
Driver: TSR2 10.0°
Utility Iron: U•505 3
Irons: 620 CB 5-9
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 50.12F, 54.10S, 60.08M

SUNSHINE TOUR | SunBet Challenge

Titleist Brand Ambassador Malcolm Mitchell earned his maiden Sunshine Tour victory following a final round 66.

  • Mitchell, gaming a Pro V1x golf ball, finished at 14 under, good for a four-stroke victory.
  • This week at Wingate Park Country Club, 108 players (82%) teed up a Pro V1 or Pro V1x  golf ball.

PGA TOUR AUSTRALASIA | Northern Territory PGA Championship

Titleist Brand Ambassador Daniel Gale won by four shots after closing with a final round 65 and posting 14 under.

  • Gale gamed a Pro V1x golf ball, TSR3 driver, Titleist irons, Vokey wedges and a Scotty Cameron putter en route to victory at the Palmerston Golf Club.
  • The win comes on the heels of a three-month stretch in the U.S., which was highlighted by a course-record 60 – and eagle hole-out on the 18th – in Monday qualifying for the 3M Open.
  • Each of the top eight finishers played a Titleist golf ball while all players finishing inside the top five played a full bag of Titleist equipment.
  • Titleist was the #1 ball and most played brand in all equipment categories, with over half the field playing a Titleist driver (57 players, 51%).

What’s in the Bag? | Daniel Gale

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: TSR3 8.0°
Utility Iron: T200 3
Iron: T100 4-PW
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 50.08F, 54.12D, 60.08M
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5 S tour prototype

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