BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Nike Golf athlete Pablo Martin won his second PGA European Tour title at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa to secure him exempt status on the PGA European Tour until the end of 2012. His victory brings to 23 the number of global wins by Nike Golf athletes in 2009, six of which are PGA European Tour titles. For further swoosh dominance, Nike Golf athlete Charl Schwartzel finished as runner up.
Martin, who joined Nike Golf in 2007, had 14 Nike Golf clubs in his bag, including the much talked about Nike METHOD putter that will become available in February, 2010. The 23-year-old Spaniard finished third and fourth in the field in putts per round and putts per greens in regulation, respectively.
"I have been working hard with the guys at Nike to find a putter that suited my game and the new Nike METHOD has really worked out well for me this week," said Martin. "It is definitely staying in the bag."
The Nike METHOD putter has already been used with great success by Nike athletes since its launch on Tour earlier this year. The new Nike putter has assisted Nike Golf athletes to 11 total victories on the professional Tours across the globe, including five wins on the PGA Tour, two of which were major championship titles; three wins on the PGA European Tour; two on the Champions Tour; and one victory on the LPGA Tour.
Completing Martin's full bag of Nike Golf arsenal, were the successful Nike SQ DYMO STR8-FIT Driver, Nike VR Split Cavity irons (3-7); Nike VR Blades (8-PW); SQ DYMO 13 and 17-degree Fairway Woods and the VR 54 and 60-degree wedge. Martin used the Nike ONE Tour ball, which is a 4-piece ball that reduces driver spin and optimizes trajectory to improve overall distance performance.
Martin also won wearing Nike apparel and Nike's new Air Anthem footwear which featured distinctive red laces in support of Nike's Lace up Saves Lives initiative to help fight Aids in Africa.
Martin's Nike Arsenal
· Driver: Nike SQ DYMO STR8-FIT 8.5 degrees
· Fairway Woods: Nike SQ DYMO 13 and 17 degrees
· Irons: Nike VR Full Cavity (3-7) and Nike VR TW Blades (8-PW)
· Wedges: Nike VR 54 and VR 56 degrees
· Putter: Nike METHOD 003
· Ball: Nike ONE Tour
· Apparel: Nike Golf Apparel
· Footwear: Nike Air Anthem
Schwartzel's Nike Arsenal
· Driver: Nike VR STR8-FIT Tour
· Fairway Woods: Nike SQ II 13-degree 3 and 5 woods
· Irons: Nike VR TW Blades (3-PW)
· Wedges: Nike VR 54 and VR 60 degree
· Putter: Nike METHOD 003
· Ball: Nike ONE Tour D
· Apparel: Nike Golf Apparel
· Footwear: Nike Air Zoom TW 2009
Nike Golf's 2009 PGA Tour Victories
· Stephen Ames - Children's Miracle Network Classic
· Tiger Woods - The BMW Championship
· Tiger Woods - Bridgestone Invitational
· Tiger Woods - The Buick Open
· Stewart Cink - The OPEN Championship
· Bo Van Pelt - U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee
· Tiger Woods - AT&T National
· Lucas Glover - US Open Championship
· Tiger Woods - The Memorial Tournament
· Paul Casey - Shell Houston Open
· Tiger Woods - Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill
Nike Golf's 2009 International Victories
· Pablo Martin - Alfred Dunhill Championship (European Tour)
· Francesco Molinari - Omega Mission Hills World Cup (European Tour)
· Tiger Woods - JBWere Masters (Australasian Tour)
· K.J. Choi - Iskandar Johor Open
· Simon Dyson - Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (European Tour)
· Simon Dyson - KLM Open (European Tour)
· Paul Casey - BMW PGA Championship (European Tour)
· Paul Casey - Abu Dhabi Golf Championship (European Tour)
Nike Golf's 2009 Champions Tour Victories
· John Cook- Charles Schwab Cup Championship
· John Cook - Administaff Small Business Classic
Nike Golf's 2009 LPGA Tour Victories
· Michelle Wie - Lorena Ochoa Invitational
· Suzann Pettersen - CN Canadian Women's Open
Located in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to ushering in the future of this great game by developing ground-breaking innovations that enable athletes to perform at their physical and mental peak.
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