Titleist and FootJoy dominate in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship winner Robert Rock and runner-up Rory McIlroy provide perfect weekend for Titleist and FootJoy

Titleist Pro V1 & Pro V1x golf balls
Nick Bonfield
By Nick Bonfield
published

Robert Rock and Rory McIlroy ensured the best of weekends for Titleist and FootJoy after storming to success using their respective equipment.

Rock remained calm under pressure to record a 13-under-par total with his Titleist Pro V1x golf ball.

He was pushed all the way by fellow brand ambassador Rory McIroy who also utilises the Titleist Pro V1x.

George Coetzee and Matteo Manassero both fished in a tie for sixth place and will attribute some of their success to the unparalleled performance of the Titleist Pro V1 franchise.

Rock has been catapulted into 55th position in the world rankings, but still has a long way to go to catch Luke Donald, McIlroy and Lee Westwood. The best three golfers in the world are all exponents of the Titleist Pro V1x.

Seventy-three players used Titleist golf balls in the desert, compared to 20 for the nearest competitor.

It was Titleist's seventh professional victory of the season and fourth on the two main tours. Rock joined Steve Stricker, Johnson Wagner and Mark Wilson in the 2012 Titleist winners circle.

The man from Lichfield combined the most popular ball in golf with the most popular shoe in golf.

The FootJoy brand ambassador paced the fairways in his FootJoy Icon MyJoys, Footjoy's flagship shoe.

In a parallel with Titleist, runner-up McIlroy also employed FootJoy equipment en route to his second successive second-place finish in Abu Dhabi, using both the FootJoy Sport shoe and the FootJoy PureTouch glove.

Russell Lawes, European marketing manager for the number one shoe and glove in golf, was thrilled for Rock: "We are extremely pleased for Robert.

"As a FootJoy ambassador, we hope his form continues through out 2012 especially whilst wearing the increasingly popular FootJoy Icon and FootJoy Icon MyJoys."

Nick Bonfield
Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

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