Mark Brooks Returns Home To Fort Worth, Texas & The Ben Hogan Brand
Looks to Recapture Successes of 1996 Season & Add to Seven PGA Titles
Chicopee, MA, June 25, 2002

There’s no place like home, just ask PGA tour professional Mark Brooks. He won’t be clicking his red shoes or heading to Kansas; rather he’s returning to his Fort Worth Texas roots and a highly respected golf brand - BEN HOGAN.

Brooks, runner-up of last year’s U.S. Open, has signed a multi-year agreement with Spalding Sports Worldwide. He made his “return” debut at last week’s U.S. Open wearing a BEN HOGAN cap, carrying a BEN HOGAN bag, playing with BEN HOGAN APEX forged blades, and putting into play for the first time, the new, innovative four-piece BEN HOGAN APEX TOUR golf ball.

“The BEN HOGAN brand stands for excellence and its products’ performances have never wavered,” stated Brooks, who garnered six of his seven PGA tour victories under the BEN HOGAN banner. “With the debut and performance of the new APEX TOUR golf ball, the decision to play all BEN HOGAN products was really an easy decision to make.”

Since joining the PGA tour in 1984, Brooks saw his best year in 1996 winning the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the Shell Houston Open, and the PGA Championship. He also finished third on the PGA money list that same year. Brooks played BEN HOGAN equipment from 1984-91 then returned in ‘95-96.

“Mark is a perfect fit for Spalding and the BEN HOGAN brand,” said Nick Raffaele, director of tour relations for Spalding Sports. “Not only is Mark familiar with our products and the benefits of their performance, but he is from Texas and knows the history of BEN HOGAN.”

Spalding Sports Worldwide is the nation's first full-line sporting goods company. Its leadership and innovative products have led to revolutionary breakthroughs in virtually every major sporting goods product category. Under the Spalding umbrella are the STRATA, TOP-FLITE, ETONIC, BEN HOGAN and DUDLEY brands. To find more information on Spalding, visit our website at www.benhogan.com or call the Consumer Relations Department at (877) Ben Hogan (877-236-4642).