(COVINGTON, GA) – Continuing the brand’s tremendous momentum, Bridgestone Golf Tour star Matt Kuchar kicked off 2019 in much the same way he ended his 2018 golf year, winning in convincing fashion in a tropical paradise. The win is Bridgestone’s 7th in the last 15 events played, making the TOUR B family of the balls the winningest on the PGA TOUR over the last 5 months. This time, the victory was set against the picturesque backdrop of Waialae Country Club, as the “Smiling Assassin” took home the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii championship, winning by 4 shots. The win in Honolulu is Kuchar’s 2nd of the young season and 9th for his career, vaulting him into 2nd place in the early season FedEx Cup point standings.
Using Bridgestone Golf’s TOUR B X ball and a full bag of Bridgestone clubs, the fan favorite showcased pinpoint accuracy on his approach shots and precision off the tee throughout the week in Hawaii. In fact, Kuchar who tightened his dispersion off the tee with the TOUR B JGR Driver and TOUR B X ball during the fall season, continued that trend, finishing 5th in the field in Driving Accuracy for the week. Further displaying the feel and control of the TOUR B X ball, Kuchar also finished 1st in greens-in-regulation, hitting an astonishing 83% for the week. On the rare occasion when he didn’t hit a green in regulation, the TOUR B X provided incredible feel and spin on his recovery shots, as Kuchar got up-and-down 75% of the time, finishing in the top 10 in the scrambling category, as well. In a dominating performance, Kuchar recorded top 10 finishes in birdies; eagles; strokes gained: off the tee; strokes gained: approach to the green; strokes gained: putting; strokes gained: tee-to-green; strokes gained: total; greens in regulation; sand saves and putts per green in regulation. For the week, Kuchar carded 4 rounds in the 60s (63-63-66-66) for a tournament best 22-under par.
“The season couldn’t have started off better for me with two victories out of the gates,” said Kuchar. “It really is helpful in taming those Hawaiian tradewinds to have such an incredible golf ball that just cuts through the breezes. I am excited to return to the winner’s circle so quickly, and I am equally happy to help Bridgestone continue its winning ways into the new year.”
· TOUR B JGR 9.5-degree Driver
· TOUR B XD-H 18-degree 2-Hybrid
· J15 CB Irons (5-PW)
· J40 52-degree Wedge
“Wow, Kuch really is making 40 look like the new 20, winning 2 of his last 3 starts,” said Dan Murphy, President and CEO of Bridgestone Golf. “Right now, the Bridgestone Tour team is firing on all cylinders, winning at nearly a 50% rate since August. Our TOUR B Balls have garnered 7 PGA TOUR victories over the last 15 events with our nearest competitors capturing 3 each. Given that our Tour team is all about quality and not quantity, this has been a great David vs. Goliath story.”
The TOUR B golf ball series is a result of Bridgestone’s continued commitment to providing premium tee-to-green performance to players of varying swing types. Bridgestone owns over 800 golf ball patents and fully leverages the company’s heritage of excellence in polymer science worldwide to design the industry’s most cutting-edge golf balls.
For more information on Bridgestone Golf’s award-winning TOUR B family of golf balls and the entire Tour team that relies upon them, visit www.bridgestonegolf.com.
About Bridgestone Golf
Based in Covington, GA, Bridgestone Golf USA manufactures premium golf balls, clubs and accessories under the Bridgestone and Precept brands. The company started making golf balls in 1935 and today has more golf ball design patents than any other company. Beginning in 2006, Bridgestone revolutionized golf ball selection with its custom ball-fitting program, identifying a golfer’s ideal golf ball based on personal swing characteristics. Today, as the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, Bridgestone has conducted over 2.1 million fittings via a combination of live-fitting, online selection and its B-FIT App. The consumer data gathered from ball-fitting continues to inspire Bridgestone’s innovative new golf ball designs, yielding industry-leading performance products for the entire range of players, from recreational golfers to the best in the world. Bridgestone Golf is proudly represented on international professional tours by icons such as Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau and Lexi Thompson. Bridgestone Golf USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Sports Co. Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo. More information: bridgestonegolf.com.
