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The Players' Choice

Fred Funk
Fairhaven, MA (March 29, 2005) – There are two things you can count on at THE PLAYERS Championship – a tightly contested tournament among one of the toughest fields of the season and the golf ball that the overwhelming majority trust for their success. The top of the leaderboard featured four Titleist players among the top five, including champion Fred Funk who edged runners-up Luke Donald and Scott Verplank by one shot, and followed by Joe Durant in solo fifth. They relied upon the longer distance of the New Pro V1 and the improved iron control of the New Pro V1x en route to their exceptional performances at one of the year's most prestigious events. In fact, 10 of the 11 players who finished among the top 10 and ties played Titleist, including:

TITLEIST PLAYER
FINISH
TITLEIST GOLF BALL
Fred Funk
Champion
Luke Donald
T2
Scott Verplank
T2
New Pro V1
Joe Durant
5
New Pro V1x
T6
New Pro V1
Tim Herron
T6
New Pro V1x
T8
New Pro V1x
T8
Pro V1x
T8
New Pro V1x
J.L. Lewis
T8
New Pro V1x

The PLAYERS Championship field included the Top 50 players in the Official World Ranking, 29 of whom rely upon Titleist. Overall, 96 players teed up Titleist, six times more than the nearest competitor with 16.

Thaworn Wiratchant
In addition to the success enjoyed by Titleist golf ball loyalists at The PLAYERS Championships, more of the top 10 finishers relied upon Titleist drivers (5/tied), irons (4/tied), wedges (8) and putters (5) than any other brand. Four full-line Titleist equipment ambassadors posted Top 10 tee-to-green performances at The PLAYERS Championship including Steve Elkington (T6), defending champion Adam Scott (T8), Davis Love III (T8) and Zach Johnson (T8).

PGA EUROPEAN TOUR/ASIAN TOUR: New Pro V1x player Thaworn Wiratchant fired a final round 7-under par 63 en route to a record-breaking 5-stroke victory at the Indonesian Open, a joint-sanctioned PGA European and Asian Tour event. Wiratchant's 25-under par 255 was the lowest 72-hole score in both PGA European Tour and Asian Tour history, although it will not be considered an official record due to preferred lie regulations. It marked Wiratchant's first victory on the PGA European Tour and fifth career Asian Tour title.

Ryan Hietala
NATIONWIDE TOUR: Local favorite and New Pro V1 player Ryan Hietala earned his first career Nationwide Tour title with a one-stroke victory at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. The Lafayette, LA resident fired a final round 4-under par 68 to finish at 18-under 270. Titleist players have won the first four events of the 2005 Nationwide Tour season. More than five times as many players relied upon Titleist (98) than the nearest competitor (17).

WORLDWIDE WINS: With three more wins this week, Titleist’s victory count across the worldwide professional tours advanced to 29, nearly three times more than the nearest competitor with 10, and more than all other golf balls combined.

DIRECT FROM THE TOUR: To view exclusive post-tournament interviews with The PLAYERS Championship champion Fred Funk, as well as runners-up Luke Donald and Scott Verplank, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at www.titleist.com. Visit the site often for exclusive interviews with Titleist players following every round of every PGA Tour event.

Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE - FO). Titleist, Cobra, FootJoy, Pro V1, Pro V1x, Titleist Pro Titanium 905, Titleist Forged, Vokey Design and Scotty Cameron by Titleist are trademarks owned by Acushnet Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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