The winners of yesterday's professional tournaments on
the PGA, European PGA and Nationwide Tours all rolled to victory with
putters from Odyssey, a brand of the Callaway Golf Company (NYSE:ELY).
One of those wins was by Craig Kanada, a featured player on Odyssey's
"The Grind" (www.thegrind2006.com), a Website chronicling the exploits
of three Nationwide Tour golfers trying to work their way to the PGA
Tour.
Kanada, 37, took a huge stride in the right direction Sunday,
winning the Nationwide Tour's Utah Energy Solutions Championship at
Willow Creek Country Club for his first Tour win, breaking a string of
270 starts - 212 on the Nationwide Tour and 58 on the PGA Tour -
without a victory. He used his White Hot(R) 2-Ball Putter to grind
back from a three-stroke deficit to a one-stroke victory, finishing
with a 71 for a 16-under-par 272 total and a one-stroke win over four
golfers.
"I've been in contention many times, but the only thing I've won
was a Northern California two-day event," said Kanada, 37. "I've
played everywhere - the Canadian Tour, the Gateway Tour, the Tight
Lies Tour, you name it. It's been tough. I thought about quitting if I
wouldn't have gotten on this tour again this year. Just making it on
this tour last fall was a huge victory and now to win one is
absolutely amazing."
On the PGA Tour, the red-hot winner of the Bell Canadian Open at
Hamilton Golf & Country Club also used the White Hot 2-Ball Putter,
setting the tone early with a course record 63 in the first round and
closing with a 65 Sunday for a 14-under-par total of 266. His second
win of the season and 6th top-five in 7 starts puts him second on the
money list at just over $6 million.
The Omega European Masters winner blitzed the field by eight
strokes with the new White Hot(R) XG #7 Center-Shafted Putter, posting
a final-round 67 for a 17-under-par 267. The victory at
Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club in the Swiss Alps was the champion's second
career win and the largest winning margin of 2006 in Europe. Five of
the top six finishers used Odyssey putters.
In other news, World #1 Annika Sorenstam went over the $20 million
mark in career earnings with her runner-up finish at the John Q.
Hammons Classic. Her $91,766 check put her at $20,000,978 and made her
the first female golfer, and just the 11th professional, to reach that
mark. She leads her nearest pursuer by $7.5 million. Sorenstam, a
Callaway Golf Staff Pro, also uses an Odyssey putter, a White Hot
2-Ball Blade.
Tour results are through the week ending 09/10/06 and reflect data
from the PGA, European PGA, LPGA and Nationwide Tours. Sources:
Darrell Survey and Sports Marketing Surveys. Through an unwavering
commitment to innovation, Callaway Golf creates products and services
designed to make every golfer a better golfer. Callaway Golf Company
manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and sells golf
accessories, under the Callaway Golf(R), Top-Flite(R), Odyssey(R) and
Ben Hogan(R) brands. For more information visit www.callawaygolf.com.
