FJ Blog

Adam Scott - Masterful at Augusta National

Coming off major heartbreak at last year's Open Championship, Adam Scott knows what major pressure feels like on Sunday of a major championship.  With that experience in his rear view, Adam Scott put on a performance for the ages winning the 2013 Masters in a playoff over Angel Cabrera.

Adam Scott began the day one stroke behind the leaders, at six under par.  Opening his final round with a bogey, Adam quickly gained the stroke back with a long left-to-right birdie putt at the third to climb into contention.  Parring out on the front, left Scott three strokes behind then leader Cabrera.  

With ground to make up, Adam narrowly missed the hazard on the heavily protected par five 13th green.  A chip and a short putt gave Adam birdie, closing the gap on the leaders.  Scott struck again hitting the par five 15th green in two shots and two putting for a birdie, which put him putting in a tie for first place.

After just missing birdie bids on 16 and 17, Scott had a downhill 23 foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of regulation.  After much deliberation with his caddy, Scott stood over the putt and brushed it in the low side of the hole, exploding in emotion as it rattled around the bottom of the cup to reach nine under par.

Not to be outdone, grizzly veteran and two-time major champion, Angel Cabrera knew a birdie was needed to have any hope of another green jacket.  Splitting the fairway, Cabrera then stuck his approach shot to a mere putters' length.  Cabrera converted the birdie bid forcing the playoff with Scott.  

On the first hole of the sudden death playoff, both players launched drives right up the center of the narrow, punishing fairway.  Hitting their approach shots, both players hit the green only to spin off one of the steep Augusta National false front's.  Cabrera was outside of Scott and missed his birdie chip by inches.  Splitting pars, Scott and Cabrera headed to the 10th where Bubba's famous hooked gap wedge occurred the previous year.  

Hitting the ski sloped fairway in regulation,  both players hit brilliant shots into the green leaving makeable birdie putts for the win.  Cabrera putted first, facing a slippery right-to-left slider, and missed ever so slightly on the high side giving Adam a putt for the win.  Taking his time to find the perfect read Scott stood over his putt drained it to become a Master's Champion.

This is Adam's first Major Championship and first Master's Championship for an Australian born player.

"All of the power is coming from the ground and my connection to the ground is through my shoe, so I believe I need to be in control and connected to the ground throughout my golf swing and I believe the FJ Sport can do that for me." said Adam Scott on why he chooses FJ Sport. Continuing, "All the feel in this game comes through your hands and I choose StaSof because it gives me the feel I am looking for in a golf glove." 

FJ WINS, YOU WIN : Click here for your shot to win FJ Sport and StaSof just like Adam Scott used en route to victory.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to Australian & New Zealand residents 18 years or older. Sweepstakes will begin at 4:01PM AEST on 04/15/2013 and end 04/018/2013 at 4:59PM AEST.

Most Styles, Most Players for FJ at Shell Houston Open

Most Styles, Most Players for FJ at Shell Houston Open

Three Weekend Wins for FJ!

Michael Thompson survived the brutal weekend conditions at PGA National to claim the Honda Classic by two strokes over former U.S. Open Champion, Geoff Ogilvy. 

Already eight under at the halfway point of the tournament, Thompson looked to be the man to beat over the weekend.  Playing at the top of the leaderboard, Thompson carded 4 bogeys and 4 birdies en route to his Saturday even par, 70 tally.  The eight under total was good enough to earn Thompson a share of the 54 hole lead with fellow FJ staffer Luke Guthrie. 

Playing in the final group for the second straight day, Thompson struck early with an eagle at the par 5 third hole to reach ten under par. Thompson dropped a shot at the next, but answered with a birdie on the following hole.  Thompson, in FJ ICON and StaSof, managed to grind out a one under front nine, leaving him at 9 under for the championship. 

Continuing his conservative play, Thompson made six straight pars before three putting for bogey at 16 -- a hole Oglivy birdied to get within two of Thompson.  Ogilvy birdied 17, as well, to get within one of the Alabama grad, Thompson.  Staying poised, Thompson rattled off a birdie on the last to shut the door on his competitors for his first PGA Tour victory.

Honda Classic Shoe Count

FJ - 58%

Closest Competitor - 20%

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On the LPGA Tour, 2012 Player of the Year Stacy Lewis continued her world beating play by winning the HSBC Women's Championship in Singapore.  Tied for the lead at the start of the day, Lewis grinded through the first six holes at even par.  She then launched a drive at the par five seventh hole leaving her only 200 yards to the stick.  in FJ Sport BOA and StaSof, she hit what she considered one the best shots of her career nearly jarring the shot for albatross, she settled for the eagle and control of the tournament.  Lewis added another birdie at the ninth to remain at the top of the leaderboard. 

Playing with the lead is difficult even for a Player of the Year, "The last four or five holes, I was pretty nervous, I'm not going to lie," Lewis said post round of playing with the lead.  Despite late bogeys, she would hold on for a one shot victory.  The victory is her sixth on the LPGA Tour.

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On the Web.com Tour, former college phenom Patrick Cantlay set the scoring record at the Colombia Championship by seven shots.  Cantly's 18 under par total was good enough for a four stroke victory.  “It feels really good to win. I felt in control all day," said the former UCLA Bruin, "This sets the year off on the right foot. Even though I’m one of the youngest guys out here, I feel really comfortable out here.”

The win moves Cantlay to the top of the Web.com money list.

Colombia Championship Shoe Count

FJ - 67%

Nearest Competitor - 18%

Hendry defends NZ PGA Championship

New Zealander Mike Hendry (FJ XPS-1, FJ StaSof) successfully defended the New Zealand PGA Championship at The Hills Golf Club in Queenstown. Hendry survived a playoff over Scott Strange (FJ Icon, FJ StaSof) when he birdied the par 4 18th hole their first playoff hole after the pair finished regulation play all tied at 19 under. They finished 4 shots ahead of Kiwi's Gareth Paddison (FJ Superlites, FJ StaSof) and Josh Geary (FJ icon, FJ StaSof) who both finished on 15 under par.

I’ve actually won every playoff I’ve ever been in, which is obviously a good record - not that I thought about that prior to going out,” said Hendry “I felt pretty comfortable on the tee - I just said you’ve done the hard work now just finish it off.” “To get across the line and for it to be at home and with the retention of the trophy, it’s just magic.”

He becomes the first person since Frank Nobilo to successful defend the title. Nobilo achieved the feat in 1985 and 1987 after the tournament wasn’t played in 1986.
“You come into the week thinking this is my trophy, I’m not going to give it to anyone else. I had that attitude all week so to retain it is unbelievable.”

FJ Launches Autumn Performance Apparel

FootJoy is excited to introduce the Autumn 2013 collection of FJ Apparel. Led by two all-new contemporary colour collections, the Autumn line includes exciting performance pieces for all style preferences and playing conditions. Colours of Byron Bay are vibrant & refreshing featuring Navy Blue, Sky, Raspberry and White colour combinations.The design focus for FJ performance apparel is on one sport - golf, which is FootJoy's sole passion. The Autumn colour stories will feature both lisle and traditional pique shirts.

FJ Adds to Worldwide Win Total

Los Angeles native, John Merrick won the Northern Trust Open at Historic Riviera Country Club with a par on the second sudden death playoff hole.

Merrick (FJ ICON and StaSof) shot three consecutive rounds under par to sit three strokes behind the 54 hole leader and defending champion, Bill Haas.  With Haas struggling over the final 18, the UCLA product, Merrick capitalized making birdies on the tenth and eleventh holes to reach twelve under par.  A late bogey let Merrick's competitors back into the tournament before parring in to post eleven under par.  At the end of regulation, only one could match his score.  

Moving to the 18th hole, both players managed to escape with pars on the first playoff hole.  Moving to the famous drivable par four tenth hole, Merrick conservatively laid back to 90 yards leaving a full lob wedge into the green.  Merrick played the wedge to 15 feet of the pin and calmly two putted for the win.

When asked what this win meant to Merrick, he was nearly speechless,"I can't put this into words. Growing up as a kid, coming out here, I just wanted to play this tournament."

This is Merrick's first win on the PGA Tour, also earning the 30 year old a spot in this year's Masters Tournament.

Northern Trust Open Shoe Count

FJ - 58%

Nearest Competitor - 21%

Senior wins Australian Open

On a windswept Sydney day, Peter Senior (FJ Icon, StaSof) won the 2012 Emirates Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club. The 53-year-old shot rounds of 75, 68, 69 and 72 to finish the One Asia tournament at four-under.

It's been a long time between Australian Open victories for Senior who won his first Australian Open title in 1989. This time round, Senior became the oldest player to win the Stonhaven Cup.

The victory was hard fought and only sealed on the final hole with Senior claiming victory by just 1 stroke.

Scott wins first Australian Masters Title

This afternoon Adam Scott (FJ Sport, FJ StaSof) won The Australian Masters at Kingston Heath Golf Club by 4 shots from defending champion Ian Poulter with Gareth Paddison (FJ Icon, FJ StaSof) and Mark Brown a further 4 shots back in third position.

For Scott it was his first victory in the event.

"I've had some close calls (he was beaten in a play-off in 2002 and 2003) about 10 years ago, so this is pretty sweet today to be in the gold jacket and to hold this trophy which I've been admiring since I was just a kid.

"So I'm very happy with this today."

FootJoy was the number 1 Shoe & Glove at The Australian Masters with 80% of the field trusting FJ Shoes, and 54% trusting FJ Gloves.Ball Count -

Shoe Count -

FootJoy - 94 players - 80%
Nearest Compeitor - 11 players - 9%

Glove Count -

FootJoy - 64 players - 54%
Titleist - 22 players - 19%

Matteo Wins In Singapore

Matteo Manassero holed a 12 foot putt for eagle on the third playoff hole to defeat fellow FJ staffer Louis Oosthuizen in the Barclay's Singapore Open. 

Tropical storms on Friday forced the field to play most of their third round and all of the final round on Sunday.  Matteo finished up his first 18 on Sunday with a bogey free 64 to race to the top of the leaderboard at 11-under par.  Not to be outdone was former British Open Champion, Oosthuizen, who shot a third round 65 to keep pace with the Italian teenager. 

Starting the final round with a two stroke lead, Manassero (FJ Sport and StaSof) rattled off two birdies in his first four holes to remain in control of the tournament.  He then made 10 straight pars letting the South African back into the tournament, with Oostuizen (DryJoys Tour and SciFlex) drawing even on the 15th hole.  Both players matched birdies on the final hole of regulation to finish at 13 under par. 

Birdies were exchanged on the first playoff hole and pars on the next.  Then Matteo closed out the tourney with a brilliant eagle for the victory.

Manassero stated post round, “The playoff was just a great honor to play with Louis - it’s been amazing, really. This year has been a tough year for me going through a few swing changes, but it has been amazing this week. I’m glad this came in such a great tournament."

This is Matteo's third win on the European Tour making him the first teenager ever to accomplish this feat.

Riordan Wins PGA Futures Championship

The PGA Futures Championship was held at Club Catalina Country Club over the weekend.

NZ Trainee Sean Riordan won the event with a 9 under par total, 6 strokes clear of the runner up.

FootJoy was both the shoe and glove of choice for the tournament with a great result in both counts.

Shoe:

FJ - 92% (99 players)

Nearest Competitor - 3% (3 players)

Glove: