FJ Blog

Uihlein Breaks Through in Portugal

Former Oklahoma State standout and US Amateur Champion, Peter Uihlein shot a final round of 68 to capture his first professional career victory at the Madeira Islands Open in Santo Da Serra, Portugal. Beginning the day one stroke behind leader Mark Tullo, Ulhlein opened with a bogey falling further behind.  However, Uihlein fought back to even par for the front nine and continued to make four birdies in his final eight holes to reach 15 under par.  The total gave him a two stroke victory over fellow FJ Staffers, Morten Orum Madsen and Mark Tullo.

Uihlein was ready for any conditions the seaside golf course could conjure in full line FJ Performance Apparel, DryJoys Tour golf shoes and the StaSof golf glove.

Uihlein stated post round, "To do it playing well on the back nine coming down the stretch is sweet. ... I just knuckled down, I guess. It was all putting that did it today; I was just trying to free up and they started to roll in, so it was nice."

Peter also spoke of his decision to join the European Tour instead of testing his game on the American circuit, "You grow up quick out here and that was the main reason I came over...It's been a good process so far and hopefully I can keep going."

This is Peter's third top ten in seven European Tour starts this season. The win also gives Uihlein European Tour Status through the 2014 season.

Madeira Islands Open SHOE COUNT:
FJ - 66%
Nearest Comp - 18%

Horschel Locks Down His First PGA Tour Win in the Big Easy

Adam Scott - Masterful at Augusta National

Coming off major heartbreak at last year's Open Championship, Adam Scott knows what major pressure feels like on Sunday of a major championship.  With that experience in his rear view, Adam Scott put on a performance for the ages winning the 2013 Masters in a playoff over Angel Cabrera.

Adam Scott began the day one stroke behind the leaders, at six under par.  Opening his final round with a bogey, Adam quickly gained the stroke back with a long left-to-right birdie putt at the third to climb into contention.  Parring out on the front, left Scott three strokes behind then leader Cabrera.  

With ground to make up, Adam narrowly missed the hazard on the heavily protected par five 13th green.  A chip and a short putt gave Adam birdie, closing the gap on the leaders.  Scott struck again hitting the par five 15th green in two shots and two putting for a birdie, which put him putting in a tie for first place.

After just missing birdie bids on 16 and 17, Scott had a downhill 23 foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of regulation.  After much deliberation with his caddy, Scott stood over the putt and brushed it in the low side of the hole, exploding in emotion as it rattled around the bottom of the cup to reach nine under par.

Not to be outdone, grizzly veteran and two-time major champion, Angel Cabrera knew a birdie was needed to have any hope of another green jacket.  Splitting the fairway, Cabrera then stuck his approach shot to a mere putters' length.  Cabrera converted the birdie bid forcing the playoff with Scott.  

On the first hole of the sudden death playoff, both players launched drives right up the center of the narrow, punishing fairway.  Hitting their approach shots, both players hit the green only to spin off one of the steep Augusta National false front's.  Cabrera was outside of Scott and missed his birdie chip by inches.  Splitting pars, Scott and Cabrera headed to the 10th where Bubba's famous hooked gap wedge occurred the previous year.  

Hitting the ski sloped fairway in regulation,  both players hit brilliant shots into the green leaving makeable birdie putts for the win.  Cabrera putted first, facing a slippery right-to-left slider, and missed ever so slightly on the high side giving Adam a putt for the win.  Taking his time to find the perfect read Scott stood over his putt drained it to become a Master's Champion.

This is Adam's first Major Championship and first Master's Championship for an Australian born player.

"All of the power is coming from the ground and my connection to the ground is through my shoe, so I believe I need to be in control and connected to the ground throughout my golf swing and I believe the FJ Sport can do that for me." said Adam Scott on why he chooses FJ Sport. Continuing, "All the feel in this game comes through your hands and I choose StaSof because it gives me the feel I am looking for in a golf glove." 

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D.A. Points Takes Home the Shell Houston Open

D.A. Points came back from a nearly three hour rain delay to win the Shell Houston Open by one stroke over Henrik Stenson and Billy Horschel.

Beginning the day one back, Points made six birdies in the first 14 holes, racing to a one stroke lead before play ceased.  With a two year PGA Tour exemption and a Masters invitation on the line, D.A. made clutch pars on the final four holes including up and downs on the final two to post the clubhouse lead at 16 under.  No one could catch the total, which gave D.A. his second PGA tour victory.

Points trusted his XPS-1 golf shoes and FJ Sciflex glove en route to his win, "The XPS-1 gives me the comfort and stability I need to play my best golf."  Continuing, "The SciFlex fits my hand and is breathable for the hot conditions we always play in."

Seven different FJ styles graced the top 25 of the Shell Houston Open. D.A. opted for max stability of the XPS-1, second place finisher Billy Horschel went for fashion forward performance in FJ Icon MyJoys.  Other players in the top 25, Ben Crane in Contour, Oothuizen in DryJoys Tour, Bill Haas in FJ Sport, Westwood in FJ Icon, and Wheatcroft in the M:Project.  FJ truly has a shoe for every golfer and every swing.

Shell Houston Open Shoe Count

FJ - 64%

Nearest competitor - 18%

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Three Weekend Wins for FJ!

Michael Thompson survived the brutal weekend conditions at PGA National to claim the Honda Classic by two strokes over former U.S. Open Champion, Geoff Ogilvy. 

Already eight under at the halfway point of the tournament, Thompson looked to be the man to beat over the weekend.  Playing at the top of the leaderboard, Thompson carded 4 bogeys and 4 birdies en route to his Saturday even par, 70 tally.  The eight under total was good enough to earn Thompson a share of the 54 hole lead with fellow FJ staffer Luke Guthrie. 

Playing in the final group for the second straight day, Thompson struck early with an eagle at the par 5 third hole to reach ten under par. Thompson dropped a shot at the next, but answered with a birdie on the following hole.  Thompson, in FJ ICON and StaSof, managed to grind out a one under front nine, leaving him at 9 under for the championship. 

Continuing his conservative play, Thompson made six straight pars before three putting for bogey at 16 -- a hole Oglivy birdied to get within two of Thompson.  Ogilvy birdied 17, as well, to get within one of the Alabama grad, Thompson.  Staying poised, Thompson rattled off a birdie on the last to shut the door on his competitors for his first PGA Tour victory.

Honda Classic Shoe Count

FJ - 58%

Closest Competitor - 20%

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On the LPGA Tour, 2012 Player of the Year Stacy Lewis continued her world beating play by winning the HSBC Women's Championship in Singapore.  Tied for the lead at the start of the day, Lewis grinded through the first six holes at even par.  She then launched a drive at the par five seventh hole leaving her only 200 yards to the stick.  in FJ Sport BOA and StaSof, she hit what she considered one the best shots of her career nearly jarring the shot for albatross, she settled for the eagle and control of the tournament.  Lewis added another birdie at the ninth to remain at the top of the leaderboard. 

Playing with the lead is difficult even for a Player of the Year, "The last four or five holes, I was pretty nervous, I'm not going to lie," Lewis said post round of playing with the lead.  Despite late bogeys, she would hold on for a one shot victory.  The victory is her sixth on the LPGA Tour.

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On the Web.com Tour, former college phenom Patrick Cantlay set the scoring record at the Colombia Championship by seven shots.  Cantly's 18 under par total was good enough for a four stroke victory.  “It feels really good to win. I felt in control all day," said the former UCLA Bruin, "This sets the year off on the right foot. Even though I’m one of the youngest guys out here, I feel really comfortable out here.”

The win moves Cantlay to the top of the Web.com money list.

Colombia Championship Shoe Count

FJ - 67%

Nearest Competitor - 18%

Merrick Wins at Historic Riviera Country Club

Los Angeles native, John Merrick won the Northern Trust Open at Historic Riviera Country Club with a par on the second sudden death playoff hole.

Merrick (FJ ICON and StaSof) shot three consecutive rounds under par to sit three strokes behind the 54 hole leader and defending champion, Bill Haas.  With Haas struggling over the final 18, the UCLA product, Merrick capitalized making birdies on the tenth and eleventh holes to reach twelve under par.  A late bogey let Merrick's competitors back into the tournament before parring in to post eleven under par.  At the end of regulation, only one could match his score.  

Moving to the 18th hole, both players managed to escape with pars on the first playoff hole.  Moving to the famous drivable par four tenth hole, Merrick conservatively laid back to 90 yards leaving a full lob wedge into the green.  Merrick played the wedge to 15 feet of the pin and calmly two putted for the win.

When asked what this win meant to Merrick, he was nearly speechless,"I can't put this into words. Growing up as a kid, coming out here, I just wanted to play this tournament."

This is Merrick's first win on the PGA Tour, also earning the 30 year old a spot in this year's Masters Tournament.

Northern Trust Open Shoe Count

FJ - 58%

Nearest Competitor - 21%

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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes will begin at 12:01AM ET on 02/19/2013 and end 02/24/2013 at 11:59PM ET.

Oosthuizen Shines In Durban

Louis Oostuizen of South Africa won the Volvo Golf Champions event at Durban Country Club with a Sunday best, six under par 66 to win by one stroke. 

Starting the day five strokes back of the lead, Oosthiuizen  made up solid ground on the front nine shooting a four under 32 to creep within one of the lead.  Continuing his near perfect play on the back, Louis, in DryJoys Tour and SciFlex, birdied his first two holes to take sole possession of the lead.  Oosthuizen added another birdie at the 14th before a late bogey at the 16th gave others hope at catching him. Their pursuit would be in vain with Louis parring the final two holes to take home the championship.

The win coupled with seven top tens in his past eight starts has moved the former Open Champion Oosthuizen to number four on the Official World Golf Rankings, his highest ranking ever.  This was Louis' sixth European Tour victory.

Volvo Golf Shoe Count:
FJ - 58%
Nearest Comp. - 18%

Matteo Wins In Singapore

Matteo Manassero holed a 12 foot putt for eagle on the third playoff hole to defeat fellow FJ staffer Louis Oosthuizen in the Barclay's Singapore Open. 

Tropical storms on Friday forced the field to play most of their third round and all of the final round on Sunday.  Matteo finished up his first 18 on Sunday with a bogey free 64 to race to the top of the leaderboard at 11-under par.  Not to be outdone was former British Open Champion, Oosthuizen, who shot a third round 65 to keep pace with the Italian teenager. 

Starting the final round with a two stroke lead, Manassero (FJ Sport and StaSof) rattled off two birdies in his first four holes to remain in control of the tournament.  He then made 10 straight pars letting the South African back into the tournament, with Oostuizen (DryJoys Tour and SciFlex) drawing even on the 15th hole.  Both players matched birdies on the final hole of regulation to finish at 13 under par. 

Birdies were exchanged on the first playoff hole and pars on the next.  Then Matteo closed out the tourney with a brilliant eagle for the victory.

Manassero stated post round, “The playoff was just a great honor to play with Louis - it’s been amazing, really. This year has been a tough year for me going through a few swing changes, but it has been amazing this week. I’m glad this came in such a great tournament."

This is Matteo's third win on the European Tour making him the first teenager ever to accomplish this feat.

McIlroy Rolls To Victory

Rory McIlroy, fresh off two wins in the previous three weeks, added another victory to his 2012 total by winning the BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana. 

Like the previous week, McIlroy (FJ SPORT and Pure Touch Limited)  came from from behind to claim the title, shooting a 5-under par 67 in Sunday’s final round to win by two strokes over fellow FJ Staffer Lee Westwood.  McIlroy's final 27 holes of the tournament included nine birdies and a lone bogey.

“I’m just on a great run at the moment...I’m playing well, I’m confident – just hope to keep it going.” McIlroy stated post victory.

Rory retains the top spot in the FedEx Cup rankings and this is Rory's fourth victory of the PGA Tour season.

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Rory Wins Again at TPC Boston