Greg Chalmers held off the 54-hole leader and fellow countryman John Senden (FJ ICON and StaSof) to win the Emirates Australian Open title at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. Senden had a two stroke lead over Chalmers at the start of the final round. Stumbling out of the gate, Senden dropped three shots in the first four holes to open the door for Chalmers.
Chalmers, wearing DryJoys Tour, seized the opportunity with birdies on the first two holes to create a two stroke lead. Senden fought back on the back nine, cutting the lead to one until Chalmers birdied the par three fifteenth to extend the lead.
Senden responded with a birdie on the 17th, cutting the lead back to one. On the final hole Chalmers would miss the green in a tricky spot while Senden hit the green and had a good look at birdie. Senden's birdie putt narrowly skirted across the hole, and Chalmers would get up and down for par to win the tournament.
This is the second time Chalmers won the Emirates Australian Open; the victories coming 12 years apart.
Bryce Molder emerged from a six hole playoff with Briny Baird to win the Frys.com Open.
Molder wearing FJ ICON and StaSof, began the day three strokes off of the 54 hole lead held by Briny Baird (FJ ICON). Playing a bogey free round, Molder captured the lead from Baird with a birdie on the par four 13th. Now playing from behind, Baird would hole out for eagle on the par four 17th for the second consecutive day to retake the lead at 17 under par. On his final hole Molder made a timely birdie to tie the lead and give himself a chance at a playoff. After Baird's birdie bid on the last came up short the playoff was set.
Both players would exchange pars and birdies on the first three playoff holes with no player gaining a distinct advantage until the fourth playoff hole when Molder drove his ball into a hazard on the drivable par 4 17th hole. Playing his second shot from the hazard, he would wedge it onto the green eventually tapping in for par. Baird would miss his birdie put on the same hole extending the playoff. Both players exchanged birdies on the next hole to move to the sixth and decisive hole. After a pure iron shot, Molder rolled in a six foot birdie putt to wrap up his first career PGA Tour victory.
Bill Haas had experienced playoff heartbreak twice this season but in his third attempt at this year's Tour Championship, with so much at stake, Haas would prove his metal as a clutch performer. Beginning the day three strokes off of the 54 hole lead Haas shot a two under par 68 to force an all-FJ ICON playoff with Hunter Mahan. Haas wore a traditional all black FJ ICON shield tip (#52271) while Mahan opted for the latest FJ ICON pyramid saddle pattern in all white (#52114).On the first sudden death playoff hole Haas would miss the par three 18th green wide right. Now with little green to work and a fluffy lie Haas hit a high flop shot to the tucked pin leaving him a tricky downhill ten footer for par. Haas gently rolled the difficult putt right into the center of the cup. Mahan, not to be outdone also got up and down for par from the right green-side bunker. Moving on to the par four 17th hole, Haas drove his ball into a fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway. He then followed with a slightly pulled approach shot that trickled into the green-side hazard. With the ball sitting half submerged in water, ten plus feet below the green, Haas chose to play it. His result was spectacular, hitting a high, spinning shot that stopped no more then three feet from the hole. After Mahan narrowly missed his birdie bid, both players headed back to the 18th for the third time on Sunday. Haas rifled a four iron directly at the center of the green leaving him a slick downhill putt from the back fringe. Mahan hit his tee shot into the same bunker from earlier in the playoff, only this time he failed to get up and down for par. This left Haas with a four foot putt to win THE TOUR Championship and the season-long FedEx Cup crown. Haas stuck to his routine and rolled the putt in center cut for this third career PGA Tour victory. The combined victory's earned Haas a a five year Tour exemption and a $11.4 million dollar pay day.
You too can wear what the pros wear. Click here to for a chance to win a pair of FJ ICON.
Harrison Frazar (FJ ICON MyJoys) defeated Robert Karlsson (FJ ICON #52005 and StaSof) in a playoff to claim the Fedex St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind. Frazar began the day 1 shot behind Karlsson thanks to a third round 64 that included seven birdies.
The final round was a two man race from the very beginning with the rest of the field several shots behind. Frazar and Karlsson exchanged birdies on the first hole and the battle for the top position would continue all day. Frazar drew even with Karlsson after a birdie on the third but was not alone of top of the leaderboard until Karlsson made bogey on the 17th. Frazar gave a shot back on the last hole and the players finish tied at the top.
On the first playoff hole, Frazar narrowly missed a birdie putt that would of given him the victory. The players halved the first and second playoff holes with pars. On the third and deciding hole Frazar two putted from 22 feet for par and the victory. This is Frazar's first career victory.
For more on Harrison's win read at : Golf.com
Robert Rock went wire to wire in FJ ICON golf shoes to collect his first career victory on the European Tour. Rock would shoot an 8-under par 64 on day one and would not look back, carding consecutive rounds of 68 or better the following days for the victory. Rock later said, “I thought I would eventually do it. It’s taken longer than planned but it’s incredibly hard to win on this Tour...I’ve had good results but I’ve come up short. Finally, it’s all gone my way.”
For more on Rock's victory at the BMW Italian Open read at Europeantour.com
On the LPGA Tour, world number one Yani Tseng (Women's DryJoys #99184) won the State Farm Classic for her second victory of the year in only 9 starts. Tseng would finish of the tournament with at 21-under 267, three strokes clear of her nearest competitor.
Mark Wiebe won the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn on the Champions Tour. Wiebe closed out the 3-day tournament at 19-under par, getting him into a playoff. Wiebe birdied the first playoff hole to match his competitor, two holes later Wiebe would make a par to claim the title.
Kyle Thompson completed the sweep on the Nationwide Tour's Rex Hospital Open. Beginning the day on a very crowded leaderboard, Thompson would shoot a final round 68 that included a birdie on the 18th hole for the victory. Thompson later said of his closing birdie, "It set up perfectly for me because I like to fade the ball...It was every golfer's dream putt -- seven feet with a little right-to-left break."
For more on Thompson's victory read at PGATOUR.com
K.J. Choi (FJ ICON #52366 and StaSof) emerged from the star studded field to win THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Inclement weather on the previous day forced most of the field to play extra holes on Sunday. Choi began his Sunday on the 11th hole, finishing his last 7 holes in 2 under par to post a 67, 1 shot off of the 54 hole lead.
Choi quietly plodded his way around the Stadium course avoiding any major mistakes. His birdie on the famous island green 17th gave him sole possession of the lead at 13-under par. The pressure was then on Choi to par the last hole and force a playoff after his playing partner birdied 18. Choi saved par and the sudden death playoff was set.
On the first playoff hole, Choi played conservatively to the wider left side of the 17th green and trusted he could get down in two strokes. K.J. hit a perfect lag putt and made the next to win THE PLAYERS Championship. This is K.J.'s 8th career victory on the PGA Tour and by far the largest victory of his career. Later Choi said, "For me to shoot under par on this course every day, it's like a miracle, to be honest with you."
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Robert Karlsson overcame Ian Poulter in a play-off to win the season-ending Dubai World Championship for his second victory of the year. Karlsson wore FJ ICON style #52005 (all white traditional saddle) and a StaSof glove while Poulter opted for another FJ ICON all-white pattern through the MyJoys program and a SciFlex glove. The pair finished regulation ties at 14-under after Karlsson, three behind overnight, started his final round with consecutive birdies and a hole out for eagle on the par four third hole. He had two more birdies on the back nine before a fantastic approach shot that almost hit the pin on the 18th, spun back and landed within a few feet of the hole. He converted the birdie to force the playoff. Karlsson and Poulter, who was looking to win for the second consecutive week, birdied the first extra hole after hitting approaches within five feet. At the second extra hole Poulter left himself 30 feet for birdie while Karlsson again hit an approach to within three feet.Poulter then called a one shot penalty on himself when he dropped his ball on his marker and moved it. Two putts meant a bogey six for Poulter, but the penalty was irrelevant as Karlsson holed his birdie putt for the victory.Karlsson, who won the European Tour Order of Merit in 2008 and has suffered a serious eye problem and glandular fever since then, said: "It was a strange day to say the least. To start birdie-birdie-eagle is not what you expect to happen when you are three behind."Then there was the one shot penalty. It's not the way you want to win, but these things happen in golf.“It's a fantastic field, and obviously when we have all of the best players in Europe together, the way it looks now, it's going to be a great field - so to win here is fantastic.”
Adam Scott fired a 3-under 68 to win the Barclays Singapore Open for the third time. Adam, who was also victorious here in 2006 and 2007, laced up a pair of FJ ICON style #52005 and wore a StaSof glove en route to his seventh career European Tour title. Following a five hour rain delay on Sunday, the leaders returned to the course Monday morning to play the back nine.
Chased by several players from start to finish, including Ian Poulter who won here last year, the former World Number Three parred the 16th and 17th before finishing with a flourish when he birdied from 12 feet at the last for a three shot margin of victory.
“It feels great,” said Scott, who last won on The European Tour two and a half years ago. “Relief to finally get finished, it’s been a bit of a long week. I’m very happy to be winning here again.
Australia’s Adam Scott (FJ ICON style #52005, StaSof glove) made the Valero Texas Open his first PGA Tour victory in two years, shooting a combined 11-under 133 in a 36-hole finale Sunday to win by a stroke.The 2008 Byron Nelson Classic winner, Scott overcame two early bogeys with an eagle on the par-4 17th in his third-round 66, then built his lead with six birdies en route to a closing 67 on the new Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio.Scott finished at 14-under 274 and earned $1,098,000 for his seventh career tour victory.Adam Scott is the latest player to trust the new FJ ICON golf shoes and a StaSof glove en route to victory on the PGA Tour. As with all FJ victories this year, when FJ WINS, YOU WIN! Enter now to win FJ ICON golf shoes and a StaSof glove just like Adam wore on Sunday.
Italian teenager Matteo Manassero made his professional debut at last week’s BMW Italian Open on the PGA European Tour as FootJoy's newest brand ambassador. Matteo turned professional earlier last week after a brief but decorated amateur career that included a win at last year’s British Amateur Championship as well as low amateur honors at the 2009 Open Championship and 2010 Masters Tournament. Having just recently celebrated his 17th birthday, Matteo established himself as the youngest player to record a victory at the British Amateur and to compete and make the 36-hole cut at the Masters.
In addition to a full bag of Titleist equipment, Matteo will be wearing FJ ICON golf shoes and a StaSof glove.
Jason Bohn (FJ ICON style #52047, StaSof glove) won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans on Sunday for his second PGA TOUR title, birdieing three of the final four holes for a 5-under 67.Bohn, who completed a third-round 71 in the morning in the weather-plagued tournament, finished at 18-under 270. He also won the 2005 B.C. Open but has recently battled numerous injuries."This is life changing," said the 37-year-old Bohn, who admitted making his putt on 18, following a phenomenal approach that stopped on the edge of the cup, with tears in his eyes.Bohn led since his opening round 65 but had to play a lot of golf over the final three days to capture his second Tour title. Heavy rain and lightning Friday and again Saturday morning delayed the early rounds so he was required to play 24 holes Saturday and 30 on Sunday. He had seven birdies and one bogey in his 30 holes Sunday.
FootJoy continues to celebrate each time a player wins on the PGA Tour this season relying on FJ products by giving you the chance to win the same performance gear. Click here to enter this weeks FJ WINS, YOU WIN sweepstakes and enter for the chance to win FJ ICON golf shoes and a StaSof glove, just like Jason Bohn wore to victory in New Orleans.
FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf and #1 Shoe on every Tour Worldwide, announced today that it has entered into a multi-year agreement with Geoff Ogilvy.
Geoff is an international star who excels under the toughest conditions. A six-time champion on the PGA Tour, Geoff has topped some of the best fields in golf throughout his career. He famously won the 2006 United States Open with a chip-in par on the 17th hole and a clutch up-and-down par on the final hole. The victory was Geoff's first major championship and he became just the second Australian to win the tournament. He has also won three World Golf Championship events, which feature only the top ranked players in the world, including the Accenture Match Play Championship twice.
In 2009, Geoff was the first multiple winner of the season. He led wire-to-wire to win the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, then claimed the second of his two Match Play Championship titles in Arizona where he resides. Geoff is one of only two players to win the event twice.
"Like many Tour players, I grew up wearing FootJoy golf shoes and gloves so putting them on again is a bit of a home-coming for me, said Ogilvy. “I’ve been using the new products and they’re fantastic. I'm really excited to start the season in FootJoy product."
Geoff joins the industry leader at a time when the brand has significant momentum with tremendous new product. The ultra-stable SYNR-G® shoe category continues to be the shoes of choice for many of the game's best players such as Padraig Harrington, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson. In addition, the new flagship shoe category, FJ ICON, delivers the perfect blend of performance and stylish elegance. FJ ICON has quickly attracted a loyal following from elite players like Ian Poulter, Camilo Villegas, Rory McIlroy, Hunter Mahan and hundreds more. As the worldwide leader in golf gloves, Ogilvy will rely on the incredible feel and performance of the legendary StaSof® glove.
"Geoff is a fantastic addition to our staff as he embodies many of the qualities that define the FootJoy brand," said Rob Kelley, Director of Brand Marketing for FootJoy. "He is a global icon who plays the game with passion and integrity and has a proven record of success."
FootJoy®. The #1 Shoe and Glove in Golf
FootJoy ended 2009 just how it began...as the #1 Shoe and Glove at retail and on professional Tours around the world. Our Tour success featured memorable performances from some of the Tour's biggest stars. We recently caught up with a few FJ players to talk about the year that was and look ahead to 2010.
What was your favorite golf memory this year, either from the professional Tours or in your own game? Click on COMMENTS to share your thoughts.
Steve Stricker (SYNR-G, PureTouch Limited) made a run at Player of the Year honors on the heels of three strong wins throughout the year. After beginning the year with five top 10 finishes, Stricker captured his first win of the year in a playoff at Colonial when he stuck his approach to 3 feet on the second hole of sudden death. He was back for more at the John Deere Classic and set the course record with a 61 in round two before closing with a final round 64 to notch his second win in four starts. Strick then notched arguably the biggest victory of his career when he birdied the final two holes to win the Deutsche Bank Championship during the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Lee Westwood (FJ ICON, PureTouch Limited) finishes the year as the highest placed European in the Official World Golf Rankings having won the inaugural Race to Dubai on the European Tour. He last won the Harry Vardon trophy in 2000, reaching Number Four in the World in the process, and equaled that feat in a momentous 2009 campaign. His superb season, capped by victories in the Portugal Masters and the Dubai World Championship, was one of the many highlights of an outstanding year.
Padraig Harrington (SYNR-G, PureTouch Limited) continued to work on some major swing changes and saw the fruits of his labor towards the end of the season. Beginning with the WGC-Bridgestone Invitaitonal, Harrington reeled off an incredible string of six consecutive top ten finishes, including all four FedEx Cup Playoff events which feature some of the strongest fields of the year.
Zach Johnson (SYNR-G, StaSof) got the year started off right by defeating fellow FJ players Adam Scott and David Toms in the first full field event of the year at the Sony Open in Hawaii then successfully defended his title at the Valero Texas Open.