ECCO Staff Player Juli Inkster Captures Safeway International Title
Golf Legend Notches 31st LPGA Tour Win
(March 22nd 2006) (LONDONDERRY, New Hampshire) – Renowned Danish shoemaker ECCO announces that LPGA Tour legend Juli Inkster wore its New Classic Wing Buckle model golf shoe while capturing the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Arizona.
The victory, Inkster’s 31st in a 24-year LPGA Tour career, came on a cold, rainy day that included a hailstorm. Neither the conditions nor the competition could phase the 45-year-old mother of two as she posted a five-under-par 67 with just one bogey. In the end, she stood two shots ahead of Korean Sarah Lee and three strokes clear of Aree Song.
“I knew I could win again, I just needed the tools,” said an emotional Inkster. “It has been a long time waiting for this win, but it makes it very sweet.”
The winner of seven major championships and more than $10 million (USD), Inkster spent the past winter overhauling her swing and getting into the best shape of her life. The results were evident at Superstition Mountain, as the 45-year-old, self-described “grinder” fought inclement conditions and a top-notch field that included Annika Sorenstam for a come-from-behind victory.
“This win is a testament to Juli’s dedication to excellence,” says Jesper Thuen, Sponsor and Event Manager, ECCO Golf. “With her standing as an all-time great, she could easily have sat back, but she pushed hard as was able to achieve yet another victory.”
Inkster’s win marks the second time in four LPGA Tour events that an ECCO staff player has claimed victory. Meena Lee previously won the Fields Open in Hawaii.
Coming into the event, Inkster was ranked No. 10 on the Rolex World Rankings. Her career in international competition stretches back to the 1982 Curtis Cup competition and includes six Solheim Cup appearances, including the victorious 2005 team.
ECCO are preferred by the world’s most discerning players, including international Tour stars Colin Montgomerie, Thomas Bjorn, Iben Tinning, Aaron Baddeley, Sophie Gustafson and Thongchai Jaidee.
Highlighting the keen attention to fashion, form and function that has distinguished ECCO for more than 40 years, the 2006 ECCO golf collection includes numerous new styles for men and women, including several fully waterproof Gore-Tex® options. Each model features water- and weather-resistant leather, distinctive comfort and cushion features, and is made using a direct-injection process unique in the field of golf footwear.
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