Tony Finau Emerges Victorious at the Mexico Open with Pro V1 Left Dot Golf Ball

By Zack R., Team Titleist Staff On 1 May 2023 Balls Tour Clubs

PGA TOUR | Mexico Open

Tony Finau rolled his CPO Pro V1 Left Dot golf ball in for five birdies on a bogey-free Sunday in Mexico, closing in 5-under 66 on his way to a three-shot victory, career win No. 6 on the PGA TOUR and his fourth ‘W’ in his last 18 starts.

  • Finau, who moved to No. 11 in the World Ranking, posted four rounds of 66 or better to finish at 24 under 260, the lowest 72-hole total of his career.
  • For the week, Finau ranked 1st in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green, gaining over nine of those strokes with his approach play (+6.1) and around the green (+3.47).
  • The 33-year-old hit 81% of his greens in regulation (T3), and ranked T2 in Scrambling (86%), making only one bogey all weekend.

FINAU ON THE PERFORMANCE OF HIS PRO V1 LEFT DOT

  • “I think equipment starts with the golf ball, not with the clubs, not with the woods, not with any other piece of equipment," Finau said. "It starts with the golf ball. I’ve always been a believer in that. The Left Dot golf ball is right for me because I’ve always put a lot of spin on the golf ball, so it’s the lowest spinning Titleist Pro V1 that is out on the market, and right away, it caught my eye because of the ball flight. I think if you can control your ball flight, you can control the distance. And it’s been such a reliable ball flight for me from the first time that I hit it. I think the best word I can use is just reliable. I can count on the golf ball in crosswinds, into the wind, downwind. I know how far the golf ball is going to go. And that’s a great feeling to have as a professional golfer. Distance control is up there probably with the most important things when it comes to striking a golf ball and playing golf.”  

FINAU ON HOW HE MARKS HIS TITLEIST

  • “I actually mark my Pro V1 golf ball with my kids’ initials. I have five kids. I’ll throw my wife in there sometimes as well," he said. "So the determining factor for me is if they make a couple bogeys, power lip out, whatever the case, they’re out, and I’m ready for the next kid to come into play and see if they’ll perform. And that’s pretty much it. I’m not crazy superstitious, but there does come a time where, if my kids are a little scared of the dark that day, they want to go swimming, they want to play in the beach, I’ve got to let them go and bring somebody else in that’s ready to score for me.” 

MEXICO OPEN CHAMPION GAMES 60T LOB WEDGE 

  • The winner of the Mexico Open gamed a Vokey Design WedgeWorks 60T lob wedge on his way to victory, finishing the week at Vidanta T2 in Scrambling.
  • The champion relied on his short game during Sunday’s final round making key up-and-downs on Nos. 8, 13, 16, and 17 for par as well as Nos. 7 and 14 for birdie
  • “He has told me many times that max versatility is important to him,” said Aaron Dill, Vokey Tour Rep, on this week’s champion. “He has the ability to be steep or shallow when he wants and, one thing’s for sure, he makes great contact with lots of spin on most of his wedge shots. Since his first T grind he has been loyal to this club, occasionally testing some other higher bounce options but always returning to the T.” 
  • According to Master Craftsman Bob Vokey, the T grind is built for players seeking to unlock ultimate creativity around the greens. It is a low-bounce wedge with a narrow crescent surface and wider back flange, best for players with shallow and precise deliveries, as well as those playing off firm conditions. 
  • The T Grind is one of the most popular grinds on Tour, and it was the lob wedge of choice for the 2023 Players and WM Phoenix Open Champion, along with the Honda Classic Champion and the RBC Heritage Champion. It’s also in the bags of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Cameron Young, among many others.

KORN FERRY TOUR | Hometown Lenders Championship 

Ben Kohles (Pro V1x Left Dash) birdied the second hole of a sudden death playoff to win for the second time in four events on the Korn Ferry Tour.

  • With the event shortened to 54 holes due to weather, Kohles posted rounds of 68-62-67 to reach 13 under and force extra holes with Ben Silverman (Pro V1).
  • After the first playoff hole was halved with pars, Kohles made a birdie 3 to clinch the victory.
  • Kohles’ last victory, the Astara Chile Classic, was also decided in extra holes with a clinching birdie.
  • For the week, Kohles ranked T1 in Scrambling, getting his Pro V1x Left Dash up-and-down 89% of the time, and he hit 84% of his greens in regulation (2).
  • With the win, Kohles also extends his lead in the season-long Korn Ferry Tour points list, while needing just one more victory this season to receive automatic promotion to the PGA TOUR.

WINNER AT THE LEDGES TRUSTS 13 TITLEIST CLUBS

  • The winner of the Hometown Lenders Championship gamed 13 Titleist clubs en route to victory, playing his final 47 holes without a bogey.

What’s in the Bag? | Hometown Lenders Championship Winner

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash
Driver: TSi4 9.0°
Hybrid: TSR3 19.0°
Irons: T200 4-5 and 620 CB 6-9
Wedges: Vokey Design SM9 46.10F, 50.12F, 54.12D, 60.08M
Putter: Scotty Cameron P5 GSS tour prototype 

TITLEIST SWEEPS COUNTS ON KORN FERRY TOUR 

  • This week in Alabama, Titleist was the top choice in every major equipment category. Out of the 156 competitors teeing it up at The Ledges, there were more Titleist golf balls, drivers, fairways, hybrids, utility irons, irons, wedges and putters in play than any other brand.
    • 75% of the field this week trusted a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball (117 players), more than six times the nearest competitor (18/12%).
    • There were 53 Titleist drivers in play (34%), 14 more than the nearest competitor. TSR drivers were the field's most popular model.
    • Titleist was the top choice in fairways (60/29%), hybrids (16/44%), and utility irons (43/51%).
    • There were 55 Titleist iron sets in players’ bags, more than double the nearest competitor (24). The field’s most played iron model was T100.
    • 57% of the gap, sand, and lob wedges this week were Vokey Design (263).
    • On the greens, 53 players trusted a Scotty Cameron putter, more than any other brand.

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS | Insperity Invitational 

Stephen Alker (Pro V1) earned his sixth career PGA TOUR Champions victory, posting a final round 6-under 66 to win by four shots.

  • The 51-year-old New Zealand-native made six birdies on Sunday – including five on the back nine to come home in 31 and pull away from the chasing pack.
  • Titleist golf ball players finished 1-2-3-4 on the final leader board, with Steve Stricker (Pro V1x) finishing solo 2nd place at 11 under. Colin Montgomerie (Pro V1) and David Toms (NEW Pro V1x) finished T3.

PGA TOUR LATINOAMERICA | Diners Club Peru Open 

The winner of the Diners Club Peru Open trusted his Titleist Pro V1 golf ball on his way to winning his first career PGA TOUR Latinoamérica title.

  • The Argentina-native closed with an 8-under 64 final round to reach his winning 15-under total.
  • He made five back-nine birdies to earn the two-shot victory.

LPGA TOUR | JM Eagle LA Championship

The winner of the JM Eagle LA Championship gamed a TSR2 21.0° fairway and a Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5 tour prototype putter, posting four rounds in the 60’s and surviving extra holes to earn her third career LPGA Tour victory.

  • The Phantom X 5 shape is the choice of several of the world's best, including Max Homa, Tom Kim, Cameron Young and the third ranked player in the Rolex World Rankings.

JGTO | The Crowns

The winner of The Crowns gamed a TSR3 9.0° driver and two Vokey Design SM9 wedges (52, 58) on his way to shooting four rounds of 67 or better (67-67-66-65) and winning his fifth JGTO title.

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