Fairhaven, MA (July 24, 2005) - Titleist has long been recognized for its golf ball usage and success across the worldwide professional tours, with club professionals and at every level of competitive golf.  As the country’s top junior boy golfers gathered last week at the Longmeadow Country Club in Massachusetts for their national championship, an overwhelming 147 of the 156 players, more than 94 percent of the field, relied upon Titleist golf balls.  The nearest competitor had four players.  In addition to its golf ball success, Titleist also was the top choice across every major equipment category, including drivers (79), fairway metals (85), iron sets (76), utility irons (32), sand, lob and approach wedges (196) and putters (90).

The Boys’ Junior Amateur champion celebrated his 17th birthday with a 5 and 3 victory in the event’s first 36-hole final.  In addition to playing the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, the winner relied upon a Titleist Pro Trajectory 904F fairway metal, and Vokey Design sand and lob wedges.  The runner-up also teed up the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball, while his set composition included a Titleist Titanium driver,  Titleist Pro Trajectory 904F fairway metal, Titleist Forged 690.CB irons, Titleist 503.H utility iron, Vokey Design sand and lob wedges and a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Design putter.

Further, at the recently completed U.S. Girls’ Junior played at BanBury GC in Eagle, Idaho, Titleist accounted for over 82 percent of the field in the golf ball category with 128 players, compared to 18 for the nearest competitor.  Titleist also was the driver choice of more players than any other competitor with 43.

The 17-year old Girls’ champion, who won 5 and 4 in the 18-hole final, trusted the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball and a Scotty Cameron by Titleist putter for her success.   The runner-up, who won the 2002 championship, relied upon the Titleist Pro V1x golf ball, Vokey Design Spin Milled sand and lob wedges and a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 putter.

The success across all equipment categories and by the players who trust it, is continued proof that when endorsement money is taken out of the game, Titleist is an even greater favorite of the future of competitive golf and serious golfers everywhere.  Below are the equipment counts from the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur:

U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP EQUIPMENT COUNTS
 
GOLF BALLS:    
TITLEIST   147  94.2%
Nearest Competitor    4   
 
DRIVERS:    
TITLEIST    79  50.6%
Nearest Competitor   34

FAIRWAY METALS:
TITLEIST   85 36.5%
Nearest Competitor  63

IRONS:
TITLEIST    76  48.7%
Nearest Competitor   18

UTILITY IRONS
TITLEIST   32 76.2%
Nearest Competitor    5 

WEDGES:
TITLEIST   196  56.6%
Nearest Competitor   87 

PUTTERS:
TITLEIST    90  57.7%
Nearest Competitor   33               
 
GLOVES:
FOOTJOY    77  49.4%
TITLEIST    58  37.2%
None      9

U.S. GIRLS’ JUNIOR AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
 
GOLF BALLS:
TITLEIST   128  82.1%
Nearest Competitor   18   

DRIVERS:     
TITLEIST    43  27.6%
Nearest Competitor   27

FAIRWAY METALS:
TITLEIST   56**
 
IRONS:     
TITLEIST   30**
 
WEDGES:     
TITLEIST    91*              
 
PUTTERS:     
TITLEIST    49*             
 
GLOVES:     
FOOTJOY    84  53.8%
TITLEIST    15   9.6%

* - Titleist was second in the Wedge and Putter counts and third in the fairway metal and iron categories at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

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, Titleist Pro Trajectory, Titleist Forged, Vokey Design, Spin Milled and Scotty Cameron by Titleist are trademarks owned or licensed by Acushnet Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.