Titleist Brand Ambassador Tom Pernice, Jr. is playing in his 14th PGA Tour event on the island of O’ahu. This year he came to the Sony Open (previously known as the Hawaiian Open) as mentally prepared as he’s ever been to start a year.

“I worked pretty hard in the off-season. I need to enjoy life even when I’m trying to win out there on the golf course.” If anyone managed to enjoy the rain and wind Friday at Waialae, it was Tom. He posted the best round of the week, a bogey free 63, capped off with an eagle at the last. Pernice used a 48 degree Vokey pitching wedge to hole a 92-yard shot from the left rough.

The Par 5 18th hole wasn’t the only place Pernice trusted his wedges. “Days like today, I wasn’t 100% sharp with all my shots so I had to scramble pretty good. I thank my man Bob Vokey. We worked hard on our wedges, and my short game really helped save me today.”

Pernice had six top 10 finishes last year, admitting that even though he had put himself in position he did not close very well. With the work he has put in on his outlook and demeanor, he expects to have better weekends this year. Tom spoke frankly about his goals for the 2009 season, “to win a golf tournament and get into the Masters.” Playing the third round in the last group, tied for the lead, puts Tom Pernice, Jr. in a position to do just that.

Click on the video player below to hear Tom’s take on his second round 63.

Tom Pernice, Jr.

Bob Vokey is getting an early start on the 2009 season, working with players at the first full-field event of the year, the Sony Open. Golf World columnist Dave Shedloski caught up with Bob in Honolulu and wrote a feature article on the master craftsman.

Read the complete article on GolfDigest.com .

Waialae Country Club is the host of the 2009 Sony Open, the first full-field event of the PGA Tour season.  Among the experienced veterans and returning young guns, there are 26 rookies teeing it up in O'ahu.

Meet some of this year's new kids in the image gallery.

Webb Simpson marks his Titleist before his 2009 season debut.

Titleist Pro V1 loyalist Geoff Ogilvy burst out of the gates at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course and outclassed an elite field of 2008 PGA Tour champions to win the first event of the 2009 PGA Tour season, the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Championship. Ogilvy took the outright lead on the 14th hole of the opening round and never trailed the remainder of the tournament. He birdied four straight holes on the back nine and posted a final round 5-under 68 for a 24-under 268 total, six shots clear of his closest competitors.

It was the fifth PGA Tour victory for Ogilvy, who earned his place in the 33-man field with his victory at the 2008 WGC –CA Championship. Ogilvy boasts a U.S. Open title (2006) as well as a second WGC crown (2006 Accenture Match Play Championship). In December, Ogilvy also recorded his first win in his native Australia with his victory at The Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship.

The win at Kapalu elevates Geoff Ogilvy to No. 6 in the Official World Golf Rankings, a position worthy of his game.

For those of you who'd like to learn a little more about this talented Aussie, take a look at this video where we ask Geoff about his start in golf, his favorite Tour stops, the most memorable shot of his career and more.

Click here to view more Titleist videos.

Led by champion and Pro V1 loyalist Geoff Ogilvy, Titleist golf ball players secured six of the top ten positions on the leaderboard at the PGA Tour season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. Twenty of the 33 players in the winners-only field relied upon Titleist golf balls, including ten players using the new 2009 Pro V1 or Pro V1x, which will be available in golf shops in February.

Zach Johnson (pictured in 2008) put some new Titleist AP2 irons in the bag for the first time at Kapalua.

Titleist was also the most played brand in every major club equipment category at the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Led by the 909 series of metals, AP irons, Vokey Design wedges, and Scotty Cameron putters, Titleist was first or tied for first in the drivers (T1st - 10 - 30%), fairways & hybrids (1st - 17 - 25%), iron sets (1st - 11 - 33%), wedges (1st - 36 - 49%), and putters (1st - 13 - 39%) categories. In addition to the count wins, Vokey Design wedges (50°, 55°, and Spin Milled 60-T) and a Scotty Cameron prototype putter were trusted by the champion.

Titleist Brand Ambassador Davis Love III tied for second at the Mercedes-Benz Championship with a full bag of Titleist equipment. In addition to playing new 2009 Pro V1x golf balls, Davis put two new 909F3 fairways (13° and 18°) into play for the first time. Davis also had the 909D3 driver (8.5°), Forged 680 irons (3-9), Vokey Design wedges (50°, 55°, and 60-E), and a Scotty Cameron Newport SS putter in play at Kapalua en route to leading the field in eagles (3) and finishing third in greens in regulation (87.5%), fifth in putts per green in regulation (1.698) and sixth in driving distance (287.1).

Titleist Brand Ambassador Zach Johnson also made equipment changes during the off-season to help propel him to a tie for sixth finish at Kapalua. In addition to the 909D2 driver (8.5°) he began using prior to his victory at the 2008 Valero Texas Open, Zach is now also using two 909F2 fairways (13.5° and 18.5°), a 909H hybrid (21°), AP2 irons (4-9), and his trusty Vokey Design wedges (48°, 54°, and Spin Milled 60-V).

Be sure to check back here and on the Golf Club Leaderboard at Titleist.com for more Titleist equipment success updates throughout the season.

To date, new Titleist Ambassador D.J. Trahan may have flown under the radar when you compare him with other PGA Tour players with two wins to their credit, but as investigated in a recent Golf.com article, a player with D.J.'s ability and drive to reach the next level won't be overlooked for long. Click here to view the complete article on Golf.com.