Titleist ambassador Ricardo Santos clearly enjoyed being on (nearly) home soil as became the first Portuguese player to win a European Tour event in Portugal at the weekend at the Madeira Islands Open.

Santos, 29, is a graduate from the 2011 Challenge Tour and certainly made his mark on his first full season on the European Tour, as he cruised to victory with a tournament record of 22-under for a 266 victory total.

“To win my first European Tour event in my own country is very special. The putt on the 17th was unbelievable, and I knew then that victory was mine," said Santos.

“It was a sensational round – definitely the best of my career. It was amazing to have the crowds here supporting me. It would be difficult to imagine a better win than this."

Ricardo was four shots clear of runner-up Magnus Carlsson (Pro V1x), and another shot better than Andreas Hartø (Pro V1x), making it a 1-2-3 finish for Titleist Pro V1x golf ball loyalists.  In fact, 9 of the top 10 finishers relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success.

What's in Ricardo Santos' Bag?: Pro V1x golf ball, 910D3 driver (8.5), 910H hybrid (17), AP2 (3-5)/MB (6-P) irons, Vokey Design SM4 gap (52), sand (56) and lob (60) wedges.

Titleist was the overwhelming ball of choice at the Madeira Islands Open with 118 players, more than seven times more than the nearest competitor with 16.

On the Japan Tour, Pro V1x loyalist Toru Taniguchi went wire-to-wire en route to capturing the JPGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodles Cup.  Taniguchi finished the major championship with a 4-under 284 victory total, one of only two players to finish under par, and one shot clear of his nearest competitor.

And there was a third win of the weekend for Titleist ball players on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa, Pro V1x loyalist Ryan Cairns closed with a course-record-tying 10-under par 62 to set the clubhouse target in the final round of the Vodacom Origins of Golf. Cairns still had to produce a brilliant chip-in for eagle to top fellow Titleist golf ball loyalist Vaughn Groenewald (Pro V1) on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.

Elsewhere, on the PGA Tour, two Titleist ambassadors and two Pro V1x loyalists tied as runners up at the Players' Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

Ambassadors Zach Johnson (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 910F fairway metal, 909F2 fairway metal, 909H hybrid, AP1/AP2 irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled pitching, sand and lob wedges) and Ben Curtis (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910Fd fairway metal, 910H hybrids, AP1 irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled gap and lob wedges, Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2) were joined by Rickie Fowler and Martin Laird, finishing at 11-under for a 277 total.

Eight of the 11 players who finished among the top 10 and tied relied upon Titleist for their success.

Titleist was the overwhelming ball of choice at the Players' Championship with 93 players, compared to 17 for the nearest competitor.