Bridgestone continued its significant investment into R&D by re-signing the biggest stars in the game, Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau, to long-term contract extensions.
Both players have won Major championships with Bridgestone Tour B golf balls (Tiger at the ’19 Masters with Tour B XS, Bryson at the ’20 US Open with Tour B X) and will continue to play their respective models of choice and contribute to the development of new designs for the foreseeable future.
“These two players are not only the biggest names in golf today, but also happen to be extremely discerning and analytical when it comes to equipment,” said Dan Murphy, President and CEO of Bridgestone Golf. “Tiger’s involvement in the R&D process was critical to the development of our breakthrough Reactiv cover technology, and Bryson is just as enthusiastic about participating in R&D as any one of our engineers. That’s the difference with Bridgestone,” said Murphy.
US Open champ DeChambeau commented, “I’ve seen a lot of other guys sign up just to be spokesmen for a brand and collect a cheque. I have a much deeper role in mind with Bridgestone. I want to be a bigger part of their R&D process and help develop golf ball technology for the future of the game while pushing the limits of golf ball designs to benefit the full spectrum of players. I feel at home there because of their genuine commitment to science and technology.”
My golf ball contract is up and after extensive testing the decision was obvious, in the end there is clearly a better ball. And now to announce which is the best golf ball for me… pic.twitter.com/5nNSr7GHAI
— Bryson DeChambeau (@b_dechambeau) November 10, 2020
Tiger’s new contract extends a long, successful track-record with Bridgestone, the brand that has manufactured his golf ball for the better part of 20 years. “I can play any ball I want, and the Tour B XS is my clear choice,” said the 15-time Major champ. “I got a big comeback win at the ’18 Tour Championship, my 15th Major win, at last year’s Masters, and my record-tying 82nd PGA Tour win at the inaugural ZOZO Championship, all with Bridgestone. To continue this partnership is a cornerstone of my success.”
While the accomplishments for Tiger since he officially signed with Bridgestone Golf in 2016 are impressive, he’s actually been playing a ball manufactured by Bridgestone since he won The Memorial Tournament during the 2000 season. Later that year he went on to win the US Open, the Open Championship, the PGA Championship, the World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational, and the Canadian Open. Of course, he famously completed the “Tiger Slam,” the next year at The Masters, capping off what many consider the most impressive run in the history of the sport.
I am excited to announce that I will be extending my relationship with @bridgestonegolf to use their TOUR B XS golf ball. I’ve had a great run with them stretching over 20 years and am looking forward to many more! https://t.co/vN69TK4f2m pic.twitter.com/ZvHWOg2GYJ
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) November 10, 2020
Bryson’s new contract extends his relationship with Bridgestone Golf significantly. He first started experimenting with Bridgestone balls during his time in college when he realised that the other brands he was playing were unbalanced and inconsistent. After a good deal of testing on his own he determined Bridgestone provided the most consistent quality available and put their ball in play, eventually winning Low Amateur honours at the ’16 Masters Tournament. Since then he’s amassed an impressive record, capturing nine professional wins with Bridgestone golf balls, including the US Open at Winged Foot earlier this summer.
“I’m meticulous about everything I do in golf, and my attention to the ball I play is no exception,” said DeChambeau. “I’ve conducted extensive testing with every competitive model available today, and the Tour B X provides the best and most consistent overall performance. Not only does it produce massive ball speeds with the driver, but it also performs equally well from the rough and around the greens. As a bonus it feels and rolls great with my putter as well.”
For more information on Bridgestone Golf’s award-winning TOUR B family of golf balls and the entire Tour team that relies upon them, visit www.bridgestonegolf.com.au