It was an all-Titleist three-way playoff at the Australian Open where Titleist Brand Ambassador Jordan Spieth (New Prototype Pro V1x golf ball) birdied the first extra hole to top fellow Brand Ambassador Cameron Smith (New Prototype Pro V1x golf ball) and Titleist golf ball loyalist Ashley Hall (Pro V1x) at The Royal Sydney Golf Club.
Spieth, Smith and Hall finished regulation play at 12-under-par 276, as Spieth closed with a 3-under-par 69, while Smith and Hall raced up the leaderboard with matching 6-under-par 66’s.
On the first playoff hole, the par-4 18th at Royal Sydney Golf Club, Spieth split the fairway, then drew a towering 9-iron shot to 15 feet under the hole. Spieth then drained the birdie putt, sealing his second Australian Open crown (he won the event in 2014 and finished runner-up last year).
“To hit those two shots in there right where I wanted to hit them,” Spieth recalled of his drive and approach in the playoff, “and then to make the putt with it, is really big going forward and it’s something I can draw on all next year.”
Spieth, who was playing the new prototype Pro V1x golf ball for the first time in competition, is the first to win on tour with the new prototype. This week, Spieth also played a new set of 716 AP2 irons for the first time in competition.
In a major consolation for the joint runners-up, Smith and Hall secured starts at next year’s British Open at Royal Birkdale, as did two-time Australian Open champion, Titleist golf ball loyalist Aaron Baddeley (Pro V1x), who finished in a five-way tie for fourth at 10-under-par 278.
Baddeley was joined at T4 by Titleist Brand Ambassador and third-round leader Geoff Ogilvy (Pro V1) and Titleist golf ball loyalist Jason Scrivener (Pro V1x), finishing two shots out of the playoff.
Congratulations, Jordan!
•••
Let's take a closer look at the equipment that Jordan Spieth, Cameron Smith and Ashley Hall trusted this week at the Australian Open.
Golf Ball: New Titleist Prototype Pro V1x golf ball
Driver: 915D2 (9.5°)
Fairway: 915F (15°)
Hybrid: 816H2 (21°)
Irons: T-MB (4) and 716 AP2 (5-9)
Wedges: Vokey Design SM6 pitching (46°), gap (52°), sand (56°) and lob (60°)
Putter: Scotty Cameron SC-009 prototype
Cameron Smith (Co-runner-up): New Titleist Prototype Pro V1x golf ball, 917D3/10.5° driver, 917F2/16.5° fairway metal, 716 T-MB (3-PW) irons, Vokey Design SM6 gap/52°, sand/56°and lob/60° wedges, Scotty Cameron SC-009 prototype putter
Ashley Hall (Co-runner-up): Titleist Pro V1x golf ball
•••
TITLEIST BY THE NUMBERS
Titleist was the overwhelming field favorite in golf balls at the Emirates Australian Open with 128 players trusting a Pro V1 or Pro V1x, more than 14 times the nearest competitor with nine.
Titleist players have won 12 of 13 events on this year’s Australasian Tour.
#TeamTitleist