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Titleist Ambassadors Gregory Bourdy and Rory McIlroy trust Titleist equipment from tee to green to top the leaderboard in Asia

Gregory Bourdy captured his third European Tour title at the Hong Kong Golf Club shooting a final round 3-under par 67 to hold off fellow full line Titleist player Rory McIlroy by two shots. Bourdy’s 19-under par total of 261 was enough to hold off a weekend surge from McIlroy, who fired weekend rounds of 65 and 64 to finish in second place on 17-under par. McIlroy’s third top five finish in three weeks raises him to the top of the inaugural Race to Dubai rankings going into the Dubai World Championships while Bourdy’s victory sees him climb into the top-60 of the rankings and also claim his place at the season ending event.

Bourdy trusted the superior feel of Titleist from tee to green for his victory, including the iconic Pro V1, 909D2 driver, 909F2 fairway metal, 585.H utility metal, new MB irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled sand and lob wedges and Scotty Cameron putter. As well as being the choice of the top two finishers Hong Kong, Titleist was also the most played ball with 93 players compared to 18 for the nearest competitor, and also topped the counts for irons and wedges respectively.

Among the equipment trusted by Bourdy in claiming victory was the latest iron offering from Titleist, the forged MB. Featuring classic looks and superior shot control for the highly skilled golfer, the Titleist MB irons have been designed using feedback from Titleist’s stable of Tour players, and their superior feel and workability has quickly put them into the winners circle.

McIlroy also trusted Titleist from tee to green for his runners-up finish in Hong Kong, which sees him climb to the top of the Race to Dubai rankings with just one event remaining. McIlroy’s equipment included the Pro V1x, 909D2 driver, 906F2 fairway metals, ZM irons, Vokey Design pitching wedge, Spin Milled sand and lob wedges and Scotty Cameron Studio Select Fastback putter. The precision and playability of Titleist throughout McIlroy’s bag has helped him claim eleven top-5 finishes this year including victory at the Dubai Desert Classic, as he looks to emulate fellow Titleist Ambassador Robert Karlsson who was crowned Europe’s #1 player in 2008.

An impressive victory for Titleist ambassador Gregory Bourdy takes the 2009 worldwide win count for Titleist golf balls to 146, more than five times the nearest competitor with 26 and more than all other brands combined, proving once again that the game’s elite continue to opt for the matchless performance of Titleist.

As a Callaway Official Internet retailer, Optifit custom fit centre, and I Mix retailer Golfbuyitonline is the perfect place to purchase all your Callaway golf products as we stock the full range from Callaway drivers, woods and rescues to Sets of irons, putters and wedges not to forget every style and model of golf bag available and the matching Callaway golf accessories, gloves and winter products.  Ernie Els the following Callaway Equipment,

FT9  8.5N Driver

Fusion Technology that delivers professional shot-shaping and Tour distance, for a fine-tuned game.
This is the driver the shot makers turn to. Versatility, distance and control all in one space-age package. The FT-9 Driver was designed to deliver the most creative shot-making you can think of. Fade it. Draw it. Or take it over the trees. With the addition of Hyperbolic Face Technology, ball speeds across the entire face have been dramatically improved to generate even more distance. Choose between Draw or Neutral configurations with the help of external web weighting that helps precisely position the center of gravity to promote the desired trajectory and ball flight for the desired shot shape. The FT-9 Tour Driver features a slightly open face angle and produces stronger, more penetrating trajectories preferred by highly accomplished players.

X- Fairway

Optimized for unsurpassed playability, distance and forgiveness. Based on feedback from tour pros, one of the game’s best-selling fairways woods has been re-energized. The most significant upgrade is the addition of the Modified X-Sole Design featured in X Hybrids. A slightly larger head size offers more stability and the slightly deeper face offers a larger effective hitting area.

X Tour Prototype Irons

Tour Inspired Irons
Forged muscle back irons by legendary clubmaker Roger Cleveland designed specifically to meet the demands of the best players on the world. With tour-inspired styling and soft carbon steel construction, these irons provide precision shot-making with incredible feedback and workability. The flighted CG design and X-Muslce Back generate consistent, Tout-level trajectories with unparalleled playability in a blade.

Callaway Tour Ball

Short-game spin for precision control. The technologically advanced Tour i Golf Ball provides the perfect balance of breakthrough distance and control. A softer core formulation provides unparalleled tour feel and the softer urethane cover generates more short-game spin for precision control and aggressive shot-making.

Steve Stricker wins the second event of the 2009 FedEx Cup Playoffs and climbs to the top of the FedEx Cup rankings

Titleist Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker produced a birdie-birdie finish at TPC Boston to claim the Deutsche Bank Championship and climb to the top of the 2009 FedEx Cup rankings. Stricker’s final round 4-under par 67 gave him a 17-under par total which was enough to seal victory by one shot from fellow full-line Titleist player Jason Dufner and Pro V1 loyalist Scott Verplank. Victory in Massachusetts was the third of the year for Stricker, helping him climb to second place in the World Golf Rankings and top of the 2009 FedEx Cup Playoffs as Titleist continues to be the choice of champions.

Stricker trusted the superior performance of Titleist throughout his bag for his seventh career PGA Tour win, including the Pro V1 golf ball, 909D3 driver, 906F2 fairway metal, 909H hybrid, 755 irons, Vokey Design wedges. As well as claiming the top three spots on the leaderboard, Angel Cabrera (Pro V1x) and Padraig Harrington (Pro V1x) finished on 269, 15-under par to give the legendary Titleist Pro V1 family five of the top six finishers. The majority of the field also put their trust in the superior feel and control of the Pro V1 as 63 players teed up with Titleist, compared to 10 for the nearest competitor. Titleist also topped the counts for iron sets, wedges and putters respectively.

Elsewhere, on the Champions Tour, Pro V1 loyalist Jeff Sluman shot a final round 4-under par, 68, to claim the Walmart First Tee Open by two strokes from fellow Titleist golf ball loyalist Gene Jones (Pro V1x). On the Nationwide Tour, Titleist Brand Ambassador Troy Merritt beat Pro V1 loyalist Adam Bland in an all-Titleist play-off to claim his first Tour victory at the Mexico Open. On the Canadian Tour, James Love trusted the Pro V1x to claim the Canadian Tour Championship at the first extra hole. These wins across worldwide professional tours take Titleist’s worldwide win count for 2009 to 108, compared to 22 for the nearest competitor.

Another triumph for Titleist Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker who climbs to World No.2, as well as the constant flow of victories around the world for Pro V1 loyalists proves once again that the game’s elite continue to opt for the matchless performance of Titleist.

Meeting other golfers you are often asked the question most beginner golfers hate to hear “what’s your handicap”? This is the average figure you score over the par of the course you are playing for three rounds.

Many golfers go years without seeing massive improvements in their handicap. Essentially you need to think of your handicap score as something that reflects your skills and abilities in general to improve this try the following:

Practice your wedge shots

Wedge shots can be those vital shots for your game, whether they are for the final approach to the green or the bunker recoveries. Many golfer’s aim is to just get the ball on the green but what you need to remember when implementing your wedge shots is the place its going to land on the green, you need to see where it’s going to land on the green which can give you the easiest puts to finish the hole.

Sand shots are a nightmare for many novice golfers, however using the wedge’s face to your advantage is key to a successful recovery. By standing square to the ball and leaning slightly on your front foot, getting the leading edge of your wedge under the ball should lift the ball high and clear of the steep back wall of the bunker.

Analyse your own swing

It’s important for golfers to know where and why shots are going wrong. By taking practice swings or practicing at a driving range can really help you get a better understanding of what your natural shot is like. From this you can then adapt it so it improves your handicap.

Reduce your putts

Putting is another area where you need to practice to get a feel for the right weight to put into your shots. A good way to practice this is to try shots from different distances on different gradients, this will indicate to you the power that needs to be put in to the ball in either one or two shots.

Have a good grip

Good golf grip is important for any serious golfer. And the best way to develop your grip is by practicing it every time you can that could be on or off the golf course. Eventually with enough practice, holding a club properly will become second nature to you. So keep those clubs within a close range to get a better golf grip. Also having a comfortable grip on your club helps.

As with most things, remember practice makes perfect.

Padraig Harrington successfully defended his Open Championship title with a four-shot victory over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale, becoming the first European to successfully defend The Open since James Braid in 1906.

Harrington, who beat Sergio Garcia in a play-off to win at Carnoustie last year, was a major doubt in the days leading up to the event after injuring his wrist winning the Irish PGA. It seems that history has repeated itself as Harrington missed out on practice time leading up to The Open at Royal Birkdale and at Carnoustie last year. The victory all but assures Harrington of a place in Nick Faldo’s European Ryder Cup team for the defence of their title in September.

Choi, who was tied with Harrington on four over after three rounds, fell back with a 79 to end 13 over. England’s Simon Wakefield, third overnight, partnered Choi in the penultimate group on Sunday but plummeted with a disastrous back nine of 43, including a triple-bogey eight at the 17th to end 14 over. South Africa’s two-time Open champion Ernie Els ended in a tie for seventh on 12 over despite a first-round 80 after carding a closing 69. England’s Paul Casey also finished tied seventh after a 70, as did countryman David Howell who climbed back up the leaderboard with a 67.

Another nice story from The Open was that of the English amateur, Chris Wood, who finished tied for 7^th. He birdied the par-five 17th hole and parred the last at Hillside to secure his place at Birkdale through LFQ with rounds of 71-72 and was the winner of the Welsh Stroke Play Championship at Conwy in 2008, he moved to seventh spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking to become England’s leading player.

So, it’s finally upon us. The 2008 Open begins tomorrow and promises to be just as interesting and exciting without Tiger Woods. Last year’s winner Padraig Harrington is off to a very similar start to the 2007 Open as he is suffering from an injury on his wrist which means he is missing out on practice time just like last year. Can lightning strike the same place twice?

There seems to be a healthy mixed opinion of who might win this year’s tournament at Royal Birkdale. There is a lot of press surrounding both Lee Westwood and last year’s runner-up Sergio Garcia. Westwood finished 3rd at this year’s US Open at Torrey Pines which was his highest finish so far of any of the 4 majors. Sergio Garcia has not won a major either, but did finish runner-up at the 2007 Open. He finished tied for 18th at this year’s US Open and won this year’s Player’s Championship after a playoff against Paul Goydos. Both golfers will be working hard to make this year’s Open Championship their first major win.

Lee Westwood’s golf bag currently contains:

Driver: Ping G10

Irons: Ping i10

Wedges: Ping Tour-W

Woods: Ping G10

Putter: Ping Redwood Answer

Sergio Garcia is currently using:

Driver: TaylorMade Tour Burner TP

Irons: TaylorMade rac MB TP

Wedges: TaylorMade Z TP

Woods: TaylorMade Burner TP and TaylorMade r7 TP

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport

A lot of golf fans are saying that The Open this year will not be as challenging or rewarding with Tiger Woods not playing. What a load of rubbish. This year’s Open will be just as interesting as any other and for whoever wins, it will most certainly be rewarding, after all it’s not the “Who Can Beat Tiger Woods Tournament”!

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell all but secured his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team after he clinched a two-shot victory at the Scottish Open. McDowell shot a final round of 68 to finish the tournament on 13 under. The money has lifted the 28-year-old from 10th to sixth in the Ryder Cup standings and only an extraordinary series of results can deny him a place in Nick Faldo’s side in September.

Ernie Els, a two-time winner of the tournament, finished joint ninth, while world number two Phil Mickelson ended the day 11 shots off the pace.

The golf clubs McDowell used to get his victory were:

Driver: Callaway FT-3
Irons: Callaway X-Forged
Woods: Callaway X-Tour
Hybrid: Callaway FT
Wedges: Callaway X-Forged
Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG

Tiger Woods has turned down an invite from US Ryder Cup skipper Paul Azinger to act as a vice-captain for the match against Europe in September. Woods said he would not do it because he is not on the team and insists the event is about the competitors.

Is Tiger throwing his dummy out of his pram?  That sounds like he’s saying if he can’t play and be the star of the show, then he’ll stay at home.  What’s that?  Something about his knee?  Yes, I know but there’s nothing stopping him from being on hand to offer his professional advice to the US team.

For those having Tiger withdrawal symptoms here’s a video of him showing off some “unconventional” golf skills.

Royal Birkdale, one of Britain’s finest golf clubs has been voted the Number One course in Britain, and is among the best in the world. Having already hosted The Open Championship 8 times, Royal Birkdale is again to host The Open 2008 Championship.

No two players prepare the same. Every one of them wants to go into next week’s Open at Royal Birkdale feeling that he could not have done his homework better.  Sergio Garcia, an obvious favourite for Birkdale would not want to do things like Ben Hogan, the winner of the 1953 Open who arrived weeks ahead of time, and will not be putting in an appearance until Sunday. He said: “If you go too early you feel like the tournament never starts and the week never ends.”

Yet, as you would expect after his fifth-place finish in 2005 and 2006 and his near-miss in 2007, a lot of thought has gone into his plans over the last few weeks. He had four days of links golf in Ireland at the end of June and opted to play in the European Open above the Scottish Open because the London Club has linksland characteristics.

Garcia may be a favourite, but a workman is only ever as good as his tools.  Recently Garcia has been using the following golf equipment:

Driver: TaylorMade Tour Burner
Woods: TaylorMade Burner TP
Irons: TaylorMade rac MB TP
Wedges: TaylorMade rac TP
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport

Can all the practice he’s been putting in make perfect?  Only time will tell.

It seems like this weekend was Spain’s weekend. Spain claimed their first major Football title for 44 years after winning Euro 2008 with a deserved victory over Germany. And on the same day rookie golfer Pablo Larrazabal won his first PGA European Tour title as he clinched a shock victory at the French Open in Paris.

The French Open or Open de France was established in 1906 and is the oldest national golf open in Continental Europe and has been part of the European Tour’s schedule since the tour began in 1972.

Larrazabal sank seven birdies on his way to victory and will now compete in his first major, The Open in a few weeks time. Starting three strokes ahead of the rest of the field, Larrazabal extended his lead to five with three birdies in the first five holes. However, Larrazabal, the world number 481, hit a double bogey on the ninth to allow Montgomerie to within two shots of his lead. But the Spaniard held his nerve to sink birdies on the challenging 15th and 18th holes at Le Golf National and putted for par at the final two holes to win the £527,800 prize.