Titleist Brand Ambassador Max Homa earns first international victory at the Nedbank

Max Homa earned the first international victory of his career with a commanding tee-to-green performance in Sun City. Homa, gaming a  Pro V1 golf ball and full bag of Titleist equipment, including TSR3 driver, NEW T150 3 iron, Vokey SM9 wedges and Scotty Cameron putter, was the only player to post four rounds in the 60’s for the week, reaching 19 under to win by four shots.

Heading into the final round with a one-stroke lead, Homa came out strong, making four birdies over his first six holes. On the par-5 9th, Homa faced a 240-yard second shot from the right rough to an island green guarded by water on all sides. He pulled his new T150 3 iron and sent his Pro V1 towering towards the pin, landing and stopping just 19 feet from the cup. He drained the eagle putt to extend his advantage, adding two more birdies on the back nine to put the finishing touches on a Sunday 66.

WITB | Max Homa

Pro V1 golf ball

TSR3 9.0 driver | Tensei 1K Black 65 TX-Flex

TSR2+ 14.5 fairway | Fujikura Ventus Red TR 8 X-Flex

NEW T150 3 iron | KBS Tour 105g Prototype Graphite Hybrid X-Flex

T100S 4 iron | KBS $-Taper 130 X-Flex

T100 5 iron | KBS $-Taper 130 X-Flex

620 MB 6-9 irons | KBS $-Taper 130 X-Flex

Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 50.12F, 56.14F, WedgeWorks 60A wedges | KBS $-Taper 130 X-Flex (46), KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 Wedge Heavy Tip 135 X-Flex (50, 56), KBS Hi-Rev 2.0 Wedge Heavy Tip 120 Proto (60)

HOMA WINS IN SECOND START WITH T150 3 IRON 

Homa’s week-to-week setup typically includes his TSR2 21.0 fairway, which fits the gap between his 3 wood and T100•S 4 iron. Ahead of the Ryder Cup this year, Homa began looking for an alternative to his 7 wood, seeking a reliable option off the tee in an iron profile. The gamer that found its way into Homa’s bag at Marco Simone was a  T150 3 iron  (KBS Tour 105g Prototype Graphite Hybrid X-Flex).

“I knew at Marco Simone we were going to need to hit the ball straight,” said Homa on the No Laying Up podcast. “So had J.J. [Van Wezenbeeck, Titleist Director of Player Promotions] make me a bunch of different [3 irons] with different shafts and found this one I loved. And it was really useful out there, especially in the afternoons when the ball got running, you could really use it off the tee. So they’re just easier to hit. I feel like they’re very versatile and I hadn’t really hit many 3 irons off the ground. It’s usually just been off the tee, but one of my favorite shots of the week was a 3 iron off the fairway on a par 5 that flew just like 4 or 5 iron do. And it was really fun to have that versatility. So that whole T100, T150 series has been a big advantage I feel like I’ve had in my bag.”

This week was Homa’s first start since the Ryder Cup, and his T150 3 iron stayed in the bag. During Sunday’s final round, Homa used it on the par-5 9th from 240 yards in the rough and saw his Pro V1 finish 19 feet from the hole. He converted the eagle putt and went out in 31.

[Titleist on Twitter: “Breakaway.With his #ProV1, #TSR3 driver and all-Titleist setup, @Maxhoma cards a Sunday 66 (-6) to take home @AfricasMajor by four shots!WITB:➡️ Pro V1 golf ball➡️ TSR3 driver (9.0°)➡️ TSR2+ fairway (14.5°)➡️ NEW T100 3 iron➡️ T100·S 4 iron➡️ T100 5 iron➡️ 620 MB 6-9… pic.twitter.com/ukQ7V0jGF9 / Twitter”]
(https://twitter.com/Titleist/status/1723687422842523672)

WEDGEWORKS 60A IN WINNING WEDGE SETUP

Max Homa gamed four Vokey wedges, including a  WedgeWorks 60A lob wedge, on his way to earning his ninth professional victory. The WedgeWorks 60A is a low-bounce lob wedge designed for golfers playing in firmer course conditions who have a shallow delivery. It features four degrees of bounce and a smoothed-out sole that provides a faster feel through the turf and helps players slide under the ball in tight conditions.

Currently available for a limited time on Vokey.com, the 60A was born out of feedback from former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, who had been playing Vokey’s popular L Grind.

“I spoke with Geoff (Ogilvy), and we got on the topic of Australian golf courses and how they compared to courses in America and around the world,” said Vokey Tour Representative Aaron Dill. “I asked him some specific questions which resulted in an idea to design another lob wedge grind option that complemented the firm links-style conditions that players face – not just in Australia and Europe – but globally. Geoff has always been a low bounce player in his 60-degree, so I took his 60.04L wedge and removed the ribbon, resulting in a grind that moves through the turf quickly with very little resistance.”

Homa, who typically plays a 60.04L, had previously put the A Grind in play at Royal Liverpool at the Open Championship this summer to adjust for the firmer conditions before returning to his L Grind for the remainder of the season.

Wyndham Clark  also gamed the A Grind to win the U.S. Open at LACC this year, while  Tom Kim  has had his 60A in his winning setup for each of his three PGA TOUR titles.

PGA TOUR | Butterfield Bermuda Championship 

SOUTHAMPTON, BERMUDA – NOVEMBER 12: Camilo Villegas of Colombia plays his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Course on November 12, 2023 in Southampton, Bermuda. (Photo by Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

Camilo Villegas (Pro V1x)  posted a flawless 6-under 65 Sunday in Bermuda to return to the winner’s circle and capture his fifth career PGA TOUR title. The 41-year-old, who turned in four rounds of 67 or better including matching 65‘s over the weekend, was in complete control of his Pro V1x all week, leading the field with 82% (59/72) greens in regulation. That included 17 of 18 GIR on Sunday to set up six birdies without dropping a shot.

Villegas’ final birdie dropped on the par-5 17th, where he got up-and-down from a difficult spot in the right greenside bunker. “I didn’t have the best lie in that bunker,” he said, “but I looked at my caddie and I said, OK, brother, let’s hit a good shot here.” Villegas caught his Pro V1x perfectly and watched as it landed at the top of a slope on the edge of the green, checked and rolled slowly down to within 3 feet. “Came out a little better than I expected, nice tap-in birdie, gave me a little cushion, a little freedom going to the next hole,” he said.

Villegas’ victory comes one week after his T2 finish at the WorldWide Technology Championship, where he shot rounds of 64-64-69-66. He’s played his last 144 holes in 49 under par.

Nine of the top 12 finishers trusted a Titleist golf ball this week at Port Royal.

WINNER GAMES TITLEIST DRIVER, VOKEY WEDGES 

The winner of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship gamed a Titleist TSi3 11.0 driver, which he used to split the fairway on the 71st hole and help set up his final birdie of the week. It marked the 17th win for Titleist drivers this season on the PGA TOUR, more than any other brand. Titleist was also the most played driver this week in Bermuda (35/27%), as it has been on the PGA TOUR for the last five seasons. He also carries a TSi2 24.0 hybrid.

The winner of the Butterfield Bermuda Championship played two Vokey Design SM9 wedges (WedgeWorks 54.08M, 60.08M). It’s the 27th time this season that a PGA TOUR winner has gamed at least one Vokey, more than double the nearest competitor. Vokey Design is the most played wedge on the PGA TOUR since 2004, with a total of 202 (53%) Vokey sand, gap and lob wedges in play this week in Bermuda, more than all competitors combined.

LPGA | The ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge 

Adding to her already breakout and historic season, Lilia Vu (Pro V1x) birdied two of her final four holes Sunday to win by three shots and claim her fourth LPGA title of the year.

The reigning Chevron Championship and AIG Women’s Open champion, Vu followed a Saturday 8-under 62 with a closing 66 to finish the week at 19 under. The 26-year-old was in complete control from tee to green, hitting 49 of 56 fairways (88%) and 61 of 72 greens in regulation (85%).

Vu, who dropped only one shot over the weekend, led a 1-through-6 finish for Pro V1 or Pro V1x players:

1.  Lilia Vu :Pro V1x

T2.  Alison Lee : Pro V1

T2.  Azahara Munoz : Pro V1x

T2.  Emily K. Pedersen : Pro V1

5.  Amy Yang : Pro V1x

6.  Stephanie Kyriacou : Pro V1

LILIA VU + 2023 PRO V1x: A BREAKTHROUGH SEASON 

Lilia Vu made the move to 2023 Pro V1x to begin the season, having tested the ball at home during the offseason. In her first LPGA start with the new model, at the Honda LPGA Thailand in February, she captured her first career LPGA victory.

“Instantly knew that the (2023) Pro V1x was going to be it,” Vu said of her testing process.

Both 2023 Pro V1 and Pro V1x are engineered with high gradient core designs that deliver lower long game spin for increased distance and a more consistent flight, while maintaining the Drop-and-Stop greenside control that Pro V1 and Pro V1x players rely on to play their best.

“It helped bring down the spin and it was just perfect for my game,” she said. “Yeah, everything about it. The biggest thing for me is I really wanted the same feel coming out of the old golf ball. It just happened to be that way, so it worked out really well.”

Vu went on to win her first major title at the Chevron Championship, before earning major No. 2 at the AIG Women’s Open. Her victory Sunday marks the fourth of the season and her career.

[LPGA on Twitter: “Nothing but thankful after win number 4 🤗@TheLiliaVu won @theANNIKAlpga using her @Titleist Pro V1x #LPGAWinnerSelfie pic.twitter.com/hbfW2g3ajQ / Twitter”]
(https://twitter.com/LPGA/status/1723829042971873419)

CHAMPION GAMES VOKEY WEDGES, SCOTTY CAMERON PUTTER EN ROUTE TO FOURTH VICTORY 

The winner of the ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge trusted the same  Vokey Design SM9 56.10S and 60.08M wedges  and  Scotty Cameron GOLO 5 tour prototype putter that she used to win her three prior titles this season.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS | Charles Schwab Cup Championship 

Steven Alker (Pro V1) posted 18 under over four rounds at Phoenix Country Club to win the season-finale Charles Schwab Cup Championship by one shot. The win, Alker’s third of the season, saw him jump two spots up the standings to finish 2nd in his campaign to defend the season-long Charles Schwab Cup. Alker was steady all week long, finishing T3 in Greens in Regulation (55/72, 76%), 3rd in Scrambling (14/17, 82%) and 1st in Sand Saves (6/6).

Over the 2023 PGA Tour Champions season, 25 of 28 total tournaments were won using a Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.

STEVE STRICKER WINS 2023 SCHWAB CUP 

Steve Stricker (Pro V1x) captured the 2023 Charles Schwab Cup, having won six times in 16 starts on the year, including three major championships (Regions Tradition, KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, Kaulig Companies Championship). In addition to his six victories, Stricker finished runner-up on five occasions, and finished outside the top 8 just once in his 16 starts (T15 finish). Over the course of the year, the 56-year-old finished with the lowest scoring average (69.54) and ranked 1st in Scrambling (74.5%) as well as 2nd in Greens in Regulation (76.4%).