Graphite Design Shafts Power Eighth Nationwide Tour Winner of 2007

Graphite Design Shafts Power Eighth Nationwide Tour Winner of 2007
Press Release

Graphite Design - maker of some of the most widely played graphite driver shaft models on the PGA TOUR - today announces that the winner of the Nationwide Tour's Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby played its YS-Hybrid 85 model, which led the hybrid shaft model count, according to the Darrell Survey.

The winner claimed the first-place prize of $90,000 with a 16-under-par total for the week, playing Graphite Design's YS-Hybrid 85 in a pair of clubs. He became the eighth Nationwide Tour champion this season to win playing Graphite Design shafts, and the sixth to utilize the company's hybrid shafts in the process. In all, five top-five finishers at the event played Graphite Design models while a total of 14 YS-Hybrid 85 shafts were in play, most of any hybrid shaft model.

"Professional golfers have discovered the great benefits hybrids deliver, and those pairing the clubs with Graphite Design shafts have enjoyed remarkable success," said Akio Karashima, CEO of Graphite Design. "Legions of amateurs have also added hybrids to their sets and, like professionals, they can maximize these clubs' accuracy and distance with our high-performance shaft offerings."

In 2006, Graphite Design shafts were played by 41 winners of professional tournaments worldwide. Players using Graphite Design shafts amassed more than $90 million in PGA TOUR earnings in 2006 while the company earned more graphite wood-shaft model count victories on the PGA TOUR (16) than any other manufacturer. On the Japan Tour, Graphite Design shafts were in the bags of 18 winners in 2006 while the company extended its win streak in the wood-shaft brand count to 134 consecutive tournaments - an unprecedented string dating to 2002.

Graphite Design is the graphite shaftmaker of choice for Hank Haney, coach to the world's top-ranked player. The company recently introduced the Tour AD Quattro Tech ultra-premium shaft in the U.S. and launched its G-TECH combination-flex custom clubmaker series of wood and iron shafts, designed for exceptional playability throughout the bag.