The #1 Ball At The 2017 U.S. Open
Titleist equipment was at the forefront of record-setting performances at the U.S. Open Championship, including the reliance by the 2017 champion, Brooks Koepka on the New Pro V1x golf ball, as well as Vokey Design gap (52°), sand (56°) and lob (60°) wedges and a Scotty Cameron putter. With a final round of 5-under-par 67 at Erin Hills Golf Course, Brooks Koepka carded a 16-under-par 272 total; four shots clear of two players, including the overnight leader Brian Harman.
The win marks the first major title for the 27-year-old, who finished T4 in Driving Accuracy (87.5%), 7th in Driving Distance (318.1 yards), 1st in Greens in Regulation (86%) and 20th in Putts Per Greens in Regulation (1.758). With four consecutive rounds under par, he equalled the U.S. Open scoring record in relation to par set in 2011 at Congressional Country Club.
Eight of the 11 players who finished amongst the Top 10 and ties also relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success. Following the champion and runners-up were Titleist golf ball loyalists Tommy Fleetwood (4th/New Pro V1x) and Rickie Fowler (T5/ Pro V1), Titleist Brand Ambassador Bill Haas (T5/Pro V1x), Titleist Brand Ambassador Charley Hoffman (8th/Pro V1), Titleist golf ball loyalist Trey Mullinax (T9/New Pro V1x) and Titleist Brand Ambassador Justin Thomas (T9/Pro V1x).
Justin Thomas fired a third round, 9-under-par 63, which set the record for lowest score in relation to par at US Open. He will be remembered for three fairway metal shots he hit with his 15° 917F2 on the back nine. He drove the 288-yard, par-4 15th hole to six feet, then hit the same club twice to carry his Pro V1x golf ball high and soft onto the green of the 667-yard, par-5 18th, setting up the historic 8-foot eagle putt which he converted. Thomas’ 63 was the fifth in U.S. Open history, but was the first on a par-72 course. He hit 14 greens in regulation while averaging 322.7 yards off the tee.
Setting records is nothing new for Thomas this season. He also eagled the final hole at the Sony Open in Hawaii to shoot 59 for the lowest first-round score in PGA TOUR history. He went on to set or tie the PGA Tour’s 36-hole and 54-hole scoring records that week, before setting the 72-hole standard and winning his second of three titles this season.
So for 69 years and still counting, Titleist is once again the #1 ball at the U.S. Open. With 102 players in the field trusting a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball at Erin Hills Golf Course – six times the nearest competitor with 17 and more than all competitors combined. Titleist was also the top choice among players in the irons category with 41 sets in play. Vokey Design Wedges also topped the approach, sand and lob wedge (151) category and Scotty Cameron putters were the top choice among players with 55 putters in play.
Read on for fast facts on pg 49 in Golf Asia Vol 23 Iss 8.