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Patrick Reed started the day with the lead but lost it with a back 9 meltdown. Young Matthew Wolff replaced him up top with a fantastic round of 65.
A more stable shaft at impact helps golfers hit the golf ball longer and straighter. Aldila's all-new line of Ascent golf shafts are designed to do just that. With a combination of aerospace materials and bend profiles uniquely engineered for modern driver head performance, the Ascent features what Aldila calls an Impact Stabilization Zone — a section of the shaft towards the tip with increased stiffness intended to stabilize the head at impact. A more stable head at impact means more consistent ball flight, more centered contact, and less dispersion on off-center strikes. Zane Nuttall, manager of product development and innovation for Mitsubishi Chemical and Aldila Golf, had this to say about the Ascent shafts. "Ascent gave us an opportunity to create a shaft that is extremely stable at impact, all while giving players a smoother feeling profile. With our Impact Stabilization Zone, we could move the CG (center of gravity) closer to the clubhead, which helps stabilize the face, tighten dispersion windows, and dial in spin. At high speeds, players are looking for center face contact first and foremost, and the Aldila Ascent provides a unique, innovative approach to stabilizing the clubhead through impact.” The graphic below from Aldila, obtained using the high-tech motion capture system GEARS, shows the contrast between a standard shaft and the Ascent shaft with its Impact Stabilization Zone. In terms of additional technology, the Impact Stabilization Zone is paired with a heavy tungsten prepreg material in the tip of the shaft to increase mass towards the clubhead, which adds additional force to promote better launch conditions. When these elements are combined, the new Ascent shaft helps increase ball flight apex while still offering lower spin performance and accuracy. While TOUR seeding - the process of getting the product in professionals' hands — has only just begun, TOUR player feedback during testing has been positive, said Rusty Estes, Aldila Tour Representative. "We began testing Ascent quietly at last year’s FedExCup Playoffs, and what surprised me more than anything was how many different profiles of players responded well to it. It's a TOUR-level shaft that is not only stable but seems to complement a wide range of deliveries, and as a fitter that is extremely exciting." This shaft will be available in a wide range of flexes and weights (click here to view the shaft's specs). The Ascent line also includes the Ascent Ultralight, which features Focused Mass Technology (FMTTM) and a heavier butt-end, as well as FlyDrive Technology, which is an ultralight technology borrowed from fly fishing rods. True to its name, the Ascent Ultralight line weighs between 41 and 48 grams, 20-30 grams lighter than standard shafts on the PGA TOUR. Aldila Ascent shafts have been spotted on the PGA TOUR beginning at The American Express and are now available at retail for $300 MSRP. (Note: Interested in putting Aldila Ascent shafts in your clubs? Click here for more information.)
ORLANDO – Justin Rose has won at Jack’s place, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, in 2010. He won Tiger’s tournament, the Quicken Loans National, in 2014. Now the defending FedExCup champion returns to the PGA TOUR to try and take care of unfinished business at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Rose was third at Bay Hill a year ago, his fifth top-10 finish at Palmer’s tournament, and comes in especially rested this time around. The last time we saw the 38-year-old Englishman, picking up his 10th TOUR win at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, was Jan. 27. “I had four weeks off at home,â€� Rose said, “just purposefully just sort of putting some gas back in the tank. Really sort of counteracting a lot of travel and the back end of last season, and certainly winning in San Diego kind of helped make that little break feel justified, in a way. “It’s always nice to—it’s tough to take time off when you’re way behind on the FedExCup and guys are earning points left right and center,â€� he added, “but to get those points under the belt early in the season made this time off, this planned time off, feel a little less stressful in a way.â€� Any way you look at it, Rose has come close to winning at Bay Hill, with seven top-15 finishes since 2006. Last year he was close to the winner, paired with Rory McIlroy for the final round. If Rose’s progression at Bay Hill mirrors the progression of his career, a slow, steady rise to the top, then it seems logical to assume he’ll soon raise the trophy—perhaps as early as Sunday. He should have fresh legs. He disconnected from the TOUR during his four-week break, but not completely. He was not unaware of Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka winning and finishing T2 at the World Golf Championship-Mexico Championship and The Honda Classic, respectively. The three have jockeyed for the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, which could change hands again this week.  “I generally look at the PGA TOUR app on the Sunday,â€� Rose said, “and then if it’s getting interesting I might watch the last three or four holes of the telecast to see what’s going on.â€� He’s not watching like the average fan, though. “I like to watch golf when I can get an insight into the competitors that I’m facing,â€� he said, “and really you only learn that down the stretch on a Sunday, so that’s when I tune in just to see how guys are handling it and the business end of things.â€� Vacation is over, and Rose says he’s beginning “a block of workâ€� that will start at the Arnold Palmer, pick up speed at THE PLAYERS Championship, and move on to the WGC-Dell Match Play (his first start there since 2016) and the Masters Tournament. For Rose, the business end of things starts now.
