The world's ninth-ranked player used the Modus3 shafts in his irons and finished at 20-under par on rounds of 67-67-66-68-268. The total was good enough for a one-stroke victory over two members of the 2010 European Ryder Cup team for which the winner was not chosen. The victory is expected to elevate the 31-year-old native Englishman into sixth place in the official world golf rankings.
Coincidentally, Nippon Shaft's victory in the Middle East came during the week in which Nippon Shaft formally introduced the Modus3 to the golf industry at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.
"Nippon Shaft is extremely pleased that a prototype of our Modus3 steel shaft helped make the difference at the Volvo Golf Champions for one of the world's finest players," said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. "We congratulate him on the victory he worked so hard to earn."
The champion earned a payday of 283,330 Euro ($388,162) and won on a golf course designed by 2010 European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomery.
"Nippon Shaft is committed to manufacturing the world's best shafts for the world's elite players, as well as for avid amateurs and casual golfers," Fukuda said. "We are pleased and excited that the men and women pros who have been using our products have been performing so well."
The new N.S. Pro MODUS3 Tour 120 is the first new shaft to come to market since Nippon Shaft began researching the needs of top PGA touring pros in July 2009, according to Fukuda. Company representatives traveled regularly with the PGA TOUR, talking with players, allowing them to sample prototypes, and refining the shafts to fit the players' unique requirements. A number of players used the shafts in competition last season, including this past weekend's winner, who is a PGA TOUR member.
"By traveling with the PGA TOUR, Nippon Shaft gained insight into the equipment preferences of many of the world's elite players," Fukuda said. "The N.S. Pro MODUS3 Tour 120 is the initial product to result from this exhaustive research and development process."
For the first time, consumers may purchase the shafts directly from major golf retailers, such as GolfSmith and The GolfWorks.
As always, the shafts are available through Shaftology - Nippon Shaft's dedicated clubfitter network - and through the custom club departments of top club manufacturers.
A number of PGA touring pros - including former Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team members - are playing prototype versions of the MODUS3 shafts in PGA and European PGA tournaments this year. The Tour 120 model weighs between 114 and 126 grams and comes in S, X, and Tour X flex options. Other models still in the testing phase weigh as little as 106 grams and as many as 139 grams - but all meet the requirements of top players.
The N.S. Pro MODUS3 series shafts are popular with touring pros because they offer optimal performance in the three key areas:
1. Desired trajectory, which comes as a result of the unique shaft structure;
2. Accurate distances, thanks to the shaft's unique raw steel material and accompanying heat treatment;
3. Tight dispersion, which comes from the exacting tolerances of the highest quality level.
Nippon Shaft made its reputation in the late 1990s by developing the first high quality lightweight steel shaft. The revolutionary N.S. Pro 950GH became the industry's first sub-100 gram steel shaft, combining the stability and consistency of heavier shafts with extremely light weight. Soon, Nippon Shaft grew to be the No. 1-selling shaft in Asia, controlling 80 percent of the market, and No. 2 in North America. Along the way, Nippon Shaft recorded more than 100 pro tour victories worldwide and became the dominant shaft on the LPGA Tour.
Nippon Shaft manufactures all of its steel and graphite shafts in a state-of-the-art factory at its headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The company's integrated production lines are strictly monitored and controlled with thorough checks conducted responsibly through the entire production process, Fukuda said. As a result, Nippon Shaft is able to control high product quality - from material selection to final testing.
Nippon Shaft has more than 100 professional victories worldwide. Based in Yokahama, Japan, Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia, where it controls 80 percent of the golf shaft market. In North America, Nippon Shaft is the No. 2-selling steel shaft and is growing.
Nippon Shaft is a privately-held subsidiary of NHK Spring Co. LTD, a Japanese automobile parts manufacturer. Nippon Shaft's North American headquarters is in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Media Contact:
Barry Cronin
Cronin Communications, Inc.
847-698-1801 (office)
847-867-3032 (mobile)
bcronin@cronincommunications.com
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