Five Top-Nine Finishers at Buick Championship Played Graphite Design International Shafts

Press Release

Posted 2006-07-07

Graphite Design International ("GDI") - maker of some of the most widely played graphite driver shaft models on the PGA TOUR - today announces that five top-nine finishers at the Buick Championship used GDI shafts while the company's YS-6 won the graphite wood shaft model count, according to the Darrell Survey.

The five top-nine finishers utilized a variety of GDI shafts in their drivers and fairway woods, including the YS-6, Purple Ice and Tour AD models. They combined to shoot 37-under-par for the week while earning nearly $900,000 at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. For a second consecutive week the YS-6 was featured in more woods, 18, than any other graphite shaft model and was also the most-played driver shaft at the Buick Championship.

"The PGA TOUR is the ultimate proving ground for graphite shafts, and once again GDI models produced outstanding results," said Akio Karashima, CEO of GDI. "The professional or amateur golfer looking to maximize accuracy and distance can achieve these goals with high-performance GDI shafts."

On the Japan Tour, GDI led the graphite shaft brand count with 156 shafts in play at the UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship, 47 more than the nearest competitor.

Last year, GDI shafts were used by 18 winners on the PGA TOUR and 42 winners worldwide, helping them amass more than $75 million in earnings. They were also played by PGA TOUR leaders in Total Driving (distance plus accuracy), five of the top-10 players in Driving Accuracy Percentage, four of the top-10 money winners, and top-10 players in the World Golf Rankings.

On the Japan Tour, GDI shafts were victorious 16 times in 2005 and have been the most-played brand for a staggering 117 straight tournaments, an unprecedented streak dating back to 2002.