The PXG Effect
World No.1 joins the PXG revolution
Women’s world No.1 Lydia Ko joins the (Bob) Parsons Xtreme Golf revolution. by kent gray
When dot com billionaire Bob Parsons launched his golf equipment company in late 2014, he told his headhunted engineers that time nor money would be an excuse to producing truly “revolutionary” clubs.
Parsons Xtreme Golf, or PXG as it is branded, has achieved its remit of becoming a legitimate (albeit high-end) market disrupter ahead of schedule. And the money, if the numbers linked to its latest endorsement deal with women’s world No.1 Lydia Ko are to be believed, is now flowing freely beyond R&D.
The 19-year-old New Zealander has reportedly inked a $10 million, five-year deal to play PXG clubs. At $2m a year, its believed to be double what Callaway paid Ko.
“When I first hit PXG’s clubs I was extremely impressed by how they felt. They felt solid and the performance was … wow!” said Ko, who has 19 professional wins.
Reigning U.S. Women’s Open champion Brittany Lang (who used PXG irons in her win but wasn’t on staff ), three-time LPGA winner Christina Kim and former Solheim Cupper Ryann O’Toole joined Ko in the latest wave of signings and brings to nine the number of LPGA players on PXG’s staff.
The signings signal a shift in strategy for the company after a significant investment in the PGA Tour in 2016 which sees Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel, James Hahn and Charl Schwartzel among its seven PGA Tour players on staff. Hahn captured the Wells Fargo last May, PXG’s first tour win. With Ko on board there’s a fair chance it won’t be the last validation of Parsons’ passion. — KENT GRAY