For the fifth consecutive week, a FootJoy player claimed victory on the PGA TOUR as Steve Stricker (SYNR-G style #53883, PureTouch Limited glove) closed with a 1-under 70 Sunday for a two-shot victory over fellow FJ player Luke Donald (FJ ICON MyJoys) at the Northern Trust Open.

Stricker finished with a 16-under 268 total and won for the eighth time in his career and the fourth time in his last 15 starts. He also moved up to No. 2 in the world golf rankings for the second time in his career.

Stricker didn’t make it easy on himself, having to grind for pars as Donald kept pouring in birdies. But after Donald missed two short birdie attempts, Stricker fired off two straight birdies to restore a comfortable margin.

“It was hard today,” Stricker said. “I aged a lot out there. It was a grind from the get-go.”

Stricker seemed to struggle all day, missing several greens to the left but he had five consecutive one-putt greens and continued to get himself out of minor jams.

Half of Stricker’s eight career victories have come in the last eight months dating to his playoff win at Colonial. He turns 43 later this month, and shows no sign of letting up.

The FJ team is back on the road next week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am.   For the last several years, we have been on-site for our annual FJ Performance Outerwear drop.  More than virtually any other venue on the PGA Tour, Pebble Beach tests FJ's motto of "Make Every Day Playable".  Considered one of the most beautiful places on the planet, the Monterey Peninsula is also know for its extremely unpredictable early season weather.  Chances are good that the players picking up the latest FJ outerwear before the event will likely have the chance to use it the very same week.  

As usual, we will be talking to players and capturing snapshots from inside the ropes, so stayed tuned next week on the FJ Blog for the latest from FJ Outerwear Week.

In the meantime, don't forget about FJ Outerwear as essential performance equipment for your own game.  Whether wet, wind, cool or warm, FJ has you covered.  Check out the latest in FJ Performance Outerwear for men and women.

MAKE EVERY DAY PLAYABLE

Maximum Grip and Maximum Control 

Fairhaven, MA – FootJoy, the #1 Glove in Golf and #1 Glove on the PGA Tour, announces the introduction of the new SPIDR2 high-performance golf glove with progressive high-tech styling. 

The new SPIDR2 glove delivers superior grip for optimum control, especially at high swing speeds.  Targeting players of all skill levels, the new SPIDR2 glove optimizes grip performance for nearly every playing condition.

Features and Benefits:

- DTR™Digital Tac Leather™ - The digital water resistant leather on the entire palm and fingers of the glove provides the ultimate in grip and control in all weather conditions.

- FiberSof™ material - Soft, breathable stretch material is located throughout the back of the hand and along the fingers for a leather-like feel, comfort and consistent fit.  

- PowerNet™ mesh - Integrated into the base area of the thumb and back of the hand, improves flexibility, breathability and provides a more consistent thumb fit.

- Power-Locking Closure - Delivers a secure, custom fit.  You’ll notice the elastic area allows the closure to lock into place for a nice firm fit.

"The new SPIDR2 has been designed and developed for players looking for maximum grip and control with a progressive new look in a golf glove,“ said Maria Bonzagni, Senior Director of Golf Glove Marketing, FootJoy. "The integration of SPIDR2's proprietary innovative materials provide a powerful grip advantage for nearly every playing condition."

Sizes: 

Men’s Regular Left S, M, ML, L, XL, XXL 
Men’s Cadet Left S, M, ML, L, XL 
Men’s Regular Right S, M, ML, L, XL 

MSRP: $15

Available: February 1, 2010

Enter to Win a SPIDR2  NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

This Sweepstakes will begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on February 3, 2010 and end at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 2, 2010. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents 18 years or older.

We had a chance to catch up with Ben Crane this week, following his dramatic win last week at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. As you'll hear, Ben has a new outlook on the game this year and it has apparently already paid off with his third career PGA TOUR victory! Ben also talks about not knowing if he had won or not on the 18th green, his offseason work, why he prefers DryJoys, a return trip to the Masters and more.

Click on the image below to watch the interview or click here to view it on youtube.

Things really picked up on Tuesday and it was a full day talking to players about all the sweet FJ options available in 2010. A lot of players were looking for an all white FJ ICON, although some, like Hunter Mahan wanted to add a little flair by including an exotic print like the pearl lizard or white patent from MyJoys. Others wanted to really integrate some color in their wardrobe like Clemson grad DJ Trahan who ordered several pair with Clemson orange and he also added a traditional saddle with the new digital camo print. Overall, the players are very happy with the FJ ICON category and rave about how light they are, yet they still receive all the stability they need to perform at the highest level.

The new FJ SPORT is also generating some buzz amongst the players and other Tour staff who stop by. Already worn by 3-time major champion, Padraig Harrington, the bold styles just jump off the table and when players learn how stable the shoe is, they are eager to try a pair. This shoe could really take off in 2010.

We captured some great photos of FJ players out on the range and also got some video with the guys which we will share in the coming weeks. Enjoy!