FAIRHAVEN, Mass. -- As the country's top amateurs gathered at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. last week to compete for the national championship, 288 players in the field of 312, over 92 percent, made Titleist their overwhelming #1 golf ball choice, compared to just 8 players for the nearest competitor.

In fact, it was an all-Titleist Pro V1x final four, culminating with the champion rallying from a three-hole deficit after the first 18 holes to win the match 4 and 3 on a 25-foot birdie putt at the 33rd hole.

The U.S. Amateur continues the golf ball momentum Titleist has enjoyed on the 2005 PGA Tour and across all of the worldwide professional tours, the PGA Club Professional Championship, and at every level of competitive amateur golf.

In addition to being the top choice in golf balls at the U.S. Amateur, Titleist was also the favorite among more players in the driver (146), fairway metal (125), iron (113), utility iron (40), wedge (313) and putter (154) categories. Proof, that whether it is on tour or at amateur events
where endorsement money is taken out of the equation, Titleist is indeed, Golf's Symbol of Excellence. Below are the major equipment category counts from the 2005 U.S. Amateur:

Golf Balls Players
Titleist 288 92.3%
Nearest Competitor 8

Drivers
Titleist 146 46.8%
Nearest Competitor 75

Fairway metals
Titleist 125 28.3%
Nearest Competitor 102

Iron Brand
Titleist 113 36.2%
Nearest Competitor 51

Utility irons
Titleist 40 58.8%
Nearest Competitor 9

Wedge brand Wedges*
Titleist 313 46.4%
Nearest Competitor 223
* - approach, sand and lob wedges.

Putter brand Players
Titleist 154 49.4%
Nearest Competitor 71

Gloves
FootJoy 143 45.8%
Titleist 99 31.7%
Nearest Competitor 18

Shoes
Titleist 189 60.6%
Nearest Competitor 65

The U.S. Amateur marks the latest in several high profile amateur championships this year where the trust and confidence in Titleist golf balls has never been stronger. From the U.S. Women's Amateur to the U.S. Amateur Public Links, to the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, Titleist continues to be the overwhelming favorite of more competitive players than all other golf balls combined:

Event Golf balls
U.S. Women's Amateur
Titleist 130
Nearest Competitor 18

U.S. Men's Amateur Public Links
Titleist 140
Nearest Competitor 6

U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links
Titleist 123
Nearest Competitor 14

NCAA Division I Men's
Titleist 141
Nearest Competitor 10

NCAA Division I Women's
Titleist 111
Nearest Competitor 8

U.S. Junior Amateur
Titleist 147
Nearest Competitor 4

U.S. Girls' Junior
Titleist 128
Nearest Competitor 18

Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE - FO). Titleist, Cobra, FootJoy, Pro V1, Pro V1x, Titleist Pro Titanium 905, Titleist Pro Trajectory 904F, Titleist Forged, Vokey Design and Scotty Cameron by Titleist are trademarks owned by Acushnet Company. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.