Paul Casey secures maiden 2005 win with Nike Golf Equipment

(March 21) -- Paul Casey spoke early on in his new relationship with Nike Golf about the dramatic changes he expected to see in his game given the equipment choices he was presented with from the outset this past December.

During the 2004 season he fell to 22nd in Driving Distance on the European Tour, well off pace for someone who should be one of the Tour's longest hitters. Already in 2005 less than three months into an equipment change to Nike Golf, Casey is back among the heavy hitters and winning tournaments.

He captured his first tournament of the new season in a playoff this past weekend at TCL Classic at Yalong Bay Golf Club on Hainan Island, China, as part of the European Tour's stint in Asia. Casey, who finished at 22-under par, was quick to credit the new driver Nike Golf had built for him and the distance gains he was experiencing with it.

"One of the keys to my success this week was my driving," said Casey to reporters. "The boys at Nike built me a new driver and it has been hitting the ball silly distances, but thankfully straight as well."

Casey ranked fifth Driving Distance for the tournament 300.6 average yards. On average, he is already up 10 yards off the tee from 2004.

The driver that Casey is so quick to credit is the 410cc Nike Ignite that he plays in combination with the Nike One Gold, the Tour's only four-piece/three cover golf ball. Finishing out the arsenal in his bag is a 13-degree Ignite T60 3-wood, a Nike Forged Pro Combo 2-iron, Nike Forged Blades (3-PW) and the new 54-degree and 60-degree SV Wedges from Nike.

Casey is expected to tee it up again this coming week at the The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., March 24-27.