Aaron Rai capped off a remarkable regular season of ball striking with his first PGA TOUR victory Sunday in North Carolina, hitting his Pro V1 golf ball to 6 feet, 7 inches on the 72nd hole and then draining the putt to win by two shots.
Rai, who ranks No. 4 on the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Total, gained a field-best +11.347 strokes gained tee-to-green, with more than eight of those strokes coming on approach shots (+8.747/1st).
On Sunday, he led all competitors with more than four strokes gained on approach shots (+4.118), while hitting 15 of 18 greens with a field-best average proximity of 20 feet, 3 inches.
For the week, Rai hit 59 of 72 (82%) greens in regulation, with a tournament-best average proximity of 25 feet. He also got up-and-down on 10 of 13 attempts (77%/T6).
Rai’s victory was the 28th win for Titleist golf ball players this season on the PGA TOUR, seven times the nearest competitor with four.
– “I don't have many equipment deals because I want the freedom to choose what I feel is best regardless of contracts, regardless of any other incentives. And I certainly wouldn't be using the Titleist ball if I didn't think it was the best regardless of any other factor.
– “A lot of the golf courses that we play week in, week out, the margin between hitting great shots and being in bad spots is so, so small. And there’s a lot of variables that go into hitting the ball. But certainly when I do my job well, it’s paramount that the ball is in the area that I want it to be. And I don’t think I’ve hit a shot where the ball hasn't been where I’ve wanted it to be when I feel like I've done my part. And again, the ball plays a massive role in that. And that's the reason that I’ve used the Titleist ball for pretty much the whole time that I’ve played golf. And that’s the reason why I’m still using it now.
– “The flight, it has a great balance of height and spin. I’ve probably been using Pro V1 since I was nine or 10 years old, and I can’t really see myself ever moving from it. I just feel if I do my job, I feel like the ball hits the windows that I expect them to be in.
– “The feel of it around the greens is second to none. Feel is also associated with sound. Hearing a certain note off the irons, hearing a certain note off the wedges, same off the driver. I quite like softness and I feel like it really gives that, even with the fuller shots. I probably feel it more around the greens, but it’s just got that nice balance of softness, and just what it does as soon as it’s off the face is just in the right area for me.”
– “I get the Pro V mark, put my device around it, put a line around the whole ball. It gives me feedback for line, gives me feedback for roll in practice. I also like to add a black mark in line with the Titleist, so that gives me a focal point to look at when I'm over the ball. It helps keep my head a little bit more steady. Then to finish off, I put four initials, which signify family members. Those are L-O-N-F, and I do that around the Titleist.”
The winner of the Wyndham Championship earned his first career PGA TOUR title with four Vokey Design wedges in his setup (Vokey Design SM9 46.10F (@ 44), 48.10F (@ 49), 54.14F (@ 55), 60.04L). For the week in Greensboro, he ranked T6 in Scrambling, getting his Pro V1 up-and-down on 10 of 13 attempts (77%).
Vokey wedge players have now won 24 events this year on the PGA TOUR, including seven of the last nine.
This week at the Wyndham Championship, 40 percent of the drivers in play were Titleist (63). NEW GT drivers, available now for fittings worldwide, accounted for 45 of those Titleist drivers, more than the nearest competitor’s total number of drivers (34, 22%).
So far this season on the PGA TOUR, Titleist drivers have been played in competition 1,744 times (37%). The nearest competitor has been played 1,025 times (22%).
Lydia Ko’s Pro V1x golf ball dropped into the cup for birdie on Le Golf National’s 18th hole to complete a two-shot victory Saturday in Paris – and officially secure her place in history, earning the final point she needed for qualification into the LPGA Hall of Fame.
The only player to finish in double-digits under par, Ko posted rounds of 72-67-68-71 to end the week at 10 under, earning her third consecutive trip to the podium after finishing second in Rio in 2016 and third in Tokyo three years ago.
Adding to a career that includes 20 LPGA titles and two major championships, Ko became the only player in both the women’s and men’s games to finish inside the top 3 in the last three competitions.
– “I’ve used the Titleist ball for a really long time and I can speak from my experience that every time I’ve tried something new I’ve been able to see a difference, and I just love how it is the #1 golf ball. It’s not just an advertisement. It is something that I believe and something that I really trust. The golf ball is such a crucial part of the equipment standpoint and in the game.”
Last week, the No. 1 player in the world rolled his Pro V1 golf ball in for four birdies over his final five holes to win by one shot at Le Golf National. The champion closed in 9-under 62, including a back-nine 29 to complete the comeback victory.
This week, Lydia Ko completed the sweep for Titleist golf ball players when she rolled in her Pro V1x on the last for a two-shot victory.
The newest member of the LPGA Hall of Fame earned her 27th qualifying point with four Vokey wedges (Vokey Design SM10 46.10F (@44), 48.10F (@49), 54.10S, 58.08M wedges) and a Scotty Cameron P5 GSS tour prototype putter (centre shaft), which she used to drain her birdie putt on the 72nd hole to cap off her victory. She also played a TSR2 18.0 fairway metal.
Titleist Brand Ambassador Peter Uihlein closed with a bogey-free 8-under 63 to close out a runaway seven-shot victory. Uihlein – who played a Pro V1x golf ball, NEW GT3 driver, a NEW GT2 fairway metal, 620 MB irons, four SM10 Vokey wedges and a Scotty Cameron putter– shot rounds of 71-61-69-63 to reach his winning 20 under total. The victory marked his first on the Asian Tour.
About Titleist Media Center
Titleist, Golf’s Symbol of Excellence, is the game's leading performance equipment brand, having earned the overwhelming trust of tour professionals, club professionals, competitive amateurs and dedicated golfers worldwide. The Titleist golf ball embodies superior performance, innovative design and technology, precision manufacturing and unmatched quality. It is the unequivocal #1 ball in golf, and has been for 70 years and still counting. Titleist also sets the standard for golf clubs through an unwavering commitment to performance, meticulous attention to detail, and as the game’s preeminent golf club fitter. Titleist golf gear, comprising golf bags, headwear, travel gear, accessories and golf gloves, also delivers the performance and quality excellence promised in every product that bears the Titleist Script.
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- James Savage
- PR and Communications Manager at Acushnet Europe Ltd
- james_savage@acushnetgolf.com