Stewart Cink Earns Emotional Victory at Safeway Open

By Zack R., Team Titleist Staff On 14 September 2020 Balls Tour Clubs

Stewart Cink (Pro V1x)
Stewart Cink (Pro V1x)1/4
George Coetzee (Pro V1x)
George Coetzee (Pro V1x)2/4
Mirim Lee (Pro V1x)
Mirim Lee (Pro V1x)3/4
Curtis Thompson (Pro V1x)
Curtis Thompson (Pro V1x)4/4

PGA TOUR

After Titleist golf ball players accumulated 23 wins during the abbreviated 2019-20 PGA TOUR season, Stewart Cink (Pro V1x) kept the momentum going for the #1 ball in golf, earning an emotional victory at the Safeway Open, the first event of the 2020-21 campaign. It marked the seventh career PGA TOUR title for the 47-year old who had not won since the 2009 British Open.

Cink closed with a 7-under 65 en route to a 21-under 267 victory total, two shots clear of his nearest competitor. In addition to playing the Pro V1x golf ball, the champion also relied on two Vokey Design wedges (SM8 sand/56.08M and lob/60.04L) for his short game success

Titleist was the top choice in golf balls with 113 players (72%) in the field of 156 trusting a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than six times the nearest competitor with 17. Titleist was also the field favorite in drivers (42/27%), hybrids (23/32%), utility irons (33/46%), irons (46/30%) and wedges (236/54%). 

NEW TITLEIST TSi DRIVER UPDATE

This was the first week of the Titleist TSi2 and TSi3 seeding and validation process on the PGA and European Tours. Some highlights:

 PGA TOUR - TITLEIST was the most played DRIVER at the Safeway Open with 42 (27% of the field).

  • Of the 42 in play, 26 (62%) were new TSi models.
  • Of the 26, there were 16 TSi3 and 10 TSi2.
  • Chesson Hadley (TSi2/10.0°) and Bud Cauley (TSi3/9.5° driver and TSi2/13.5° fairway) were the top finishers this week, tying for 14th at -15 under par.

Bud Cauley (TSi3 Driver)
Bud Cauley (TSi3 Driver)1/3
Bud Cauley (TSi2 Fairway)
Bud Cauley (TSi2 Fairway)2/3
Chesson Hadley (TSi2 Driver)
Chesson Hadley (TSi2 Driver)3/3

EUROPEAN TOUR - TITLEIST was the most played DRIVER at the Portugal Masters with 40 (30% of the field).

  • Of the 40 in play, 31 (78%) were new TSi models.
  • TSi3 was the most played individual model with 30, compared to 18 for the next closest individual model.

KORN FERRY TOUR - While we did not seed the TSi Drivers on the KORN FERRY TOUR this week, Will Zalatoris had been fit previously as he will be participating in the U.S. Open this week. Zalatoris finished 2nd by one shot at this week’s Evans Scholars Invitational. He plays a TSi3 (9.0°) and a new TSi3 fairway (16.5°)

EUROPEAN TOUR

George Coetzee secured his fifth European Tour title — and his first on European soil — holding off a chasing pack to win the Portugal Masters by two shots. The Titleist Brand Ambassador, who owned a one shot overnight lead, closed with a bogey-free 66 en route to a 20-under 268 victory total, earning his second win in as many weeks. Coetzee won at his home club [Pretoria CC] in South Africa on the Sunshine Tour last week.

What’s in George Coetzee’s winning Titleist bag?

Titleist Pro V1x golf ball, TS2 (10.5°) driver and TS3 (16.5°) fairway metal, U500 (2-iron) and 620 CB (4-PW) irons, Vokey Design SM8 gap (50°), sand (56°), and lob (60°) wedges.

Laurie Canter (Pro V1) finished runner-up, also making five birdies in his final round of 66, while Tommy Fleetwood (Pro V1x) was another stroke back in a tie for third with Joakim Lagergren (Pro V1). Each of the top seven finishers relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.

Titleist was the top choice in golf balls with 96 players (73%) in the field of 132 trusting a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than five times the nearest competitor with 17.

LPGA TOUR

It was an all-Titleist three-way golf ball playoff at the ANA Inspiration where Mirim Lee (Pro V1x) won her first career major championship with a birdie on the first extra hole.

Lee chipped in three times on Sunday, the last one for eagle on the final hole of regulation that got her into the extra session with Brooke Henderson (Pro V1) and another Pro V1 loyalist (no contract).

Having not been in the lead at any point until holing the winning five-foot birdie putt, Lee has now won four times on the LPGA Tour. She pitched in from long range for par on the 16th, and for eagle from behind the 18th green for a final round 5-under 67 which got her into the clubhouse at the 15-under 273. 

Titleist was the top choice in golf balls with 83 players (80%) in the field of 104 trusting a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than 10 times the nearest competitor with 8.

KORN FERRY

Curtis Thompson (Pro V1x) made a birdie on his final hole to edge Titleist Brand Ambassadors Will Zalatoris and Jimmy Stanger by one shot at the Evans Scholars Invitational. It was an emotional win for Thompson, who was ready to give up professional golf two years ago but redeemed himself with the biggest win of his career.

Thompson posted a 17-under 271 victory total. Meanwhile, Zalatoris, who leads the season-long points standings, tied the competitive course record with a closing 8-under 64 to race up the leaderboard, while Stanger carded a final round 6-under 66 to earn his best career finish.

The win was the 13th for Titleist golf ball players on the 2020 season, more than twice the nearest competitor with 5. With 104 players, Titleist was the overwhelming top choice in golf balls, more than five times the nearest competitor with 19. Titleist was also the field favorite in drivers (36/T1/23%), hybrids (16/29%), utility irons (43/45%), irons (46/30%) and wedges (205/46%).

What’s in Will Zalatoris’ Titleist Bag?

Pro V1, NEW TSi3 (9.0°) driver and TSi3 (16.5°) fairway, TS3 (19.0°) hybrid, T100 (4-PW°) irons, Vokey Design SM8 gap (50°), sand (54°) and lob (58°) wedges.

What’s in Jimmy Stanger’s Bag?

Pro V1, TS3 (9.5°) driver, TS3 (15.0°) fairway, U500 (3) utility iron, T100 (4-5) and 620 MB (6-9) irons, Vokey Design SM8 pitching (46°), gap (50°), sand (56°) and lob (60°) wedges, Scotty Cameron Tour Rat putter.

CANADA

An amateur trusted Titleist Pro V1 to capture his first professional tournament in wire-to-wire fashion at the season-ending Canada Life Series event at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. He posted his one shot win after carding a final round 4-under par 67 en route to a 54-hole 17-under 196 victory total.

The amateur found a little breathing room with birdies at Nos. 15 and 16, which gave him a two-shot lead with two holes to play. Yi Cao (Pro V1x) finished one stroke better than Albert Pistorius (Pro V1) this week, advancing Cao to No. 1 on the Canada Life Points List.

As a result, Cao earns a playing spot in the 2021 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto, courtesy of Golf Canada, and also earns conditional 2021 Mackenzie Tour status and six guaranteed tournament starts. Pistorius finished second followed by Evan Holmes (Pro V1x), as Titleist golf ball players captured all four events during the abbreviated Mackenzie Tour season.

KOREA

In similar fashion to this week’s European Tour winner, George Coetzee’s fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador HanByeol Kim posted a two-shot victory at the Shinhan Donghae Open to register his second Korean Tour victory in a row. Kim fired a final round 4-under par 67 en route to a 14-under par 270 victory total.

TaeHoon Lee (Pro V1x) closed with a 5-under 66 to finish solo 2nd. Every player who finished in the Top 10 relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success. Titleist golf ball players have won 6 of the first 7 events on the 2020 KPGA Tour.

Titleist was the most played golf ball at the event with 103 players (75%) in the field of 138, more than six times the nearest competitor with 16. Titleist was also the field favorite in drivers (53/38%), irons (57/41%) and wedges (252/68%). 

What’s in HanByeol Kim’s Winning Titleist Bag?

Titleist Pro V1, TS3 (9.5°) driver, TS3 (15.0°) fairway metal, 718 T-MB (2) utility iron, T100 (3) and 620 MB (4-9) irons, Vokey Design SM7  pitching (46.10F), SM8 sand (52.08F) and lob (58.08M) wedges, Scotty Cameron Newport 2 SSS putter.

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