Davis Love III earned his 20th career victory wearing the new SYNR-G shoes from FootJoy. As we noted in an earlier post, he’s actually worn them every week since he received them back in September. However, with only a limited number of pairs available until January, he only wears them during tournament rounds so he can “save” them! A great endoresement for this new category from FootJoy. Click on the image below to hear a detailed review of the product form Davis which we captured the week before his victory at Disney.
Davis Love III secured the first win for SYNR-G, winning the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disney on Sunday with a final round 8-under 64. It was the second consecutive 64 for Love, the best final 36-hole score in the tournament’s 38-year history, en route to his 20th career victory. He becomes one of only four active players to reach the 20 win plateau and with it, earns a lifetime exemption on the PGA Tour.
Love, who finished at 25-under 263, saved the best for last, as his weekend 64s were both season-low rounds in the final PGA Tour event of 2008. The win was the first in more than two years for the 22-year PGA TOUR veteran who last won at the 2006 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (now the Wyndham Championship).
“I always questioned, ‘Am I doing the right thing? Why am I still doing this?’” the 44-year-old Love said. “I didn’t doubt my desire, or that I could still compete; it was just the little things I had to do.”
With a two-shot lead, Love’s tee shot on the 17th was buried in deep rough, leaving him no shot at the green. He laid up 100 yards short, hit wedge to 7 feet and saved par. From the right rough on the 18th, his ball flew the green into a back bunker. Needing par to win, he blasted out to 3 feet and made the putt.
“I was in trouble (on 18), but I was still confident I could get the ball up and in,” Love said. “I didn’t worry about winning or losing or screwing up.”
The win was Love’s seventh top-five finish in the tournament and his 15th straight round in the tournament in the 60s, breaking the record held by the #1 player in the world.
With all the players onsite getting used to a new, very long and difficult golf course and the pro-am teeing off in two waves, Wednesday was a busy day at the Ginn sur Mer. JB Holmes was one player we spoke with on Wednesday who could have a huge advantage this week with his length. As we said previously, this is the longest course on Tour this season and with a wind that is expected to stick around through the weekend, he’s one of few players who might be able to reach the lengthy par fives in two. Check out the slideshow to see what surprised us about JB’s footwear, what Florida fan was wearing these SYNR-Gs and to see some of the other key holes at The Conservatory.
“I have worn the SYNR-G every week since I got them. I love them. I feel closer to the ground and more stable. There’s absolutely no rolling over the shoe with these, very stable and comfortable.” – Davis Love III
We hope to get more with Davis, and other Tour players, next week when we’re onsite at the Ginn sur Mer.
As more and more Tour players have the opportunity to try SYNR-G, we’re seeing more and more pairs show up on Tour. While some players have packed their bags for the offseason, the majority still have a lot to play for over the next few weeks. These are the lucky few that get first crack at the latest from FootJoy. Arron Oberholser is one such player, having missed a large portion of the season due to injury, OB is hoping for a strong finish to the year. And do we have just the shoes to help him do that! Arron’s first reaction was how the memory foam collar and tongue helped keep his foot locked in throughout the swing. Check out the slideshow for images of Arron in SYNR-G and check out the SYNR-G microsite to win a pair if your very own, as well as a SkyCaddie SG5 rangefinder!
The first pairs of SYNR-G have made their way to Tour players around the world and the early feedback has been phenomenal! Guys are putting them in play right from the start and raving about the stability and comfort. Click on the image below to see a few of the very first images from the European Tour. We’ll obviously keep you updated as more and more players have a chance to try SYNR-G and will be onsite at one of the remaining PGA Tour events to get some feedback firsthand.
We recently exchanged emails about the new SYNR-G shoe with Doug Robinson, VP, Product Design and Development Worldwide for FootJoy. Check out the chat below and then leave us a comment if you have any follow-up questions you would like answered.
Q. Explain your position with FootJoy.
DR: I am currently the VP Product Design and Development Worldwide. My primary role at FJ is leading a team of talented design and development professionals through the creative process as we engineer new golf shoes. Our team starts with a blank canvas and a simple mission . . . “to create golf shoes that enhance individual performance and enjoyment of the game.”
Q. What was your role in the development of SYNR-G?
DR: First and foremost it was defining what the goals were for the SYNR-G project. After defining the product parameters, the whole Design & Development Team embraced the challenge of creating the most stable golf shoe ever made. The key to success was staying focused on the goals and the end-user experience. Each design decision, technology and component had to complement the final desired outcome. [Read more →]
Chris Sleeper, PGA Director of Golf at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy, MA recently tried the new SYNR-G shoe from FootJoy and had some interesting things to say about stability in the golf swing and what he felt through the shoes that might help your golf game. Click on the image below to play the video.
Click on the image below to see photos from our factory where some of the initial SYNR-G shoes are coming off the line! The buzz is really building around these so keep an eye out for players starting to wear them…specifically players who really launch the ball! And be sure to visit the new SYNR-G microsite where you can see video of players talking about the importance of stability in the golf swing and enter to win your own pair of SYNR-G (and a top-of-the-line SkyCaddie SG5 Range Finder) before they hit store shelves in January.
When you design a golf shoe geared towards high swing speed players who demand stability and motion control, why not put them to the ultimate test with “Golfzilla?” When Jason Zuback visited the Acushnet Company’s Testing Faciltiy in Massachsuetts recently, we did just that. We asked Jason to try out the new SYNR-G shoes from FootJoy and he was very pleased. Launching into a slight headwind, Jason hit about 30-40 balls…all traveled in excess of 320 yards (carry) and all of his ball speeds were over 200 m.p.h. (high of 206 m.p.h.).
Click on the image below to hear how important stability is to Zuback, his most memorable drives and to see some of his amazing swings and foot action.
Davis Love III secured the first win for 
We recently exchanged emails about the new SYNR-G shoe with Doug Robinson, VP, Product Design and Development Worldwide for FootJoy. Check out the chat below and then leave us a comment if you have any follow-up questions you would like answered.
