Press Release - For Immediate Release
Contact: - Chris Sells: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

STROKEAVERAGE.COM DOMINATE AT THE VOLVO MASTERS

More players who use Europe's leading golf stats and analysis system have qualified to play in the season ending Volvo Masters than ever before with 10 players out of a maximum field of 60 using the company's consultancy services.

And with three of StrokeAverage.com clients having recorded two wins already this season - out of a total of just seven multiple winners in 2008 - there is every chance that the victor at Valderrama come Sunday will come from the growing number of players who rely on the Kent-based company to work out where they are going right, as well as wrong.

Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood is the biggest name in the StrokeAverage stable not to have recorded a victory this year, but came within a whisker of making the play-off at the US Open at Torrey Pines, as well as losing his British Masters crown in a play-off against Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, in September.

But Ulstermen Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke have both bagged two victories this season along with Yorkshire’s Richard Finch, while Ross Fisher having narrowly missed a chance to record his second win in just three months when losing a play-off in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrew’s last month.

McDowell will be confident going into tournament which traditionally sees the climax of the season on the Costa del Sol, having produced a storming finish to last season’s Volvo Masters, where he albatrossed the 17th by holing his second shot to finish two shots behind eventual winner Justin Rose.

McDowell, who won the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond in July, after claiming the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship in Korea in March, pulls no punches when it comes to putting a value on the insight the partnership of StrokeAverage.com’s managing director Chris Sells and his partner John Franks brings through their unique number-crunching service.

The 29-year-old, who was one of the big successes in Europe’s disappointing Ryder Cup defeat at Valhalla, teamed up with StrokeAverage.com at the start of the 2006 season and has made strides working with coach Clive Tucker, who is a strong advocate of the benefits of stats analysis.

McDowell, who is currently seventh on the Order of Merit, went four years without a victory before this year’s double success

He is hoping to put the finishing touches to his most successful season ever by contending for the final-ever Volvo Masters as the Swedish car giant ends its 20-year sponsorship relationship with the European Tour this week.

But if he gets his hands on the crystal trophy cum Sunday, McDowell won’t be the first StrokeAverage.com user to claim the title.

Paul McGinley recorded the biggest win of his career when landing the Volvo Masters in 2005.

The Dubliner was the second player to start using StrokeAverage.com’s services back in 2003 – David Howell was the first when languishing at 170 in the world before going on to win three Tour titles in less than a year including the 2006 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Darren Clarke was the third, and this season has seen the 39-year-old finally end a six-year barren spell on European soil, as well as picking up his first win of any kind in five years with victory in China.

Many of the young players who have come through the amateur ranks recently – such as Nick Dougherty, Zane Scotland and Richard Finch grew up using the StrokeAverage system, which was part of the English Golf Union’s elite coaching programme.

Finch is now reaping the rewards after almost losing his card this time last year. But having scrapped through with a brave top 10 finish in the final event of the season was quickly followed by his maiden victory in the New Zealand Open in November 2007.

And in May, the Hull City supporter picked up the biggest result of his career by landing the Irish Open at Adare Manor – famously falling into the river after his hitting approach shot in the final hole.

Another StrokeAverage.com winner in 2008 was Ross Fisher who claimed a five-year exemption on the European by winning the European Open at the London Club in July, with a first prize of £400,000.

To find out more about how leading Tour players use StrokeAverage.com to improve their performance please contact Chris Sells.

What the players say about StrokeAverage.com

GRAEME MCDOWELL: “It’s all the small percentages that count and Chris and the boys at StrokeAverage.com come up with some interesting things.

“I am pretty honest about my game and analyse it pretty well. Analysing your stats helps you to be honest about your game.”

ROSS FISHER: "Being a professional sportsman I need to take advantage of great equipment and services, which this is. I have been working with StrokeAverage for some time now and thank them for their help."

LEE WESTWOOD: “If you have questions about your golf, this system has the answers. A great piece of kit that all serious golfers should use, especially youngsters!”

RICHARD FINCH: “What you think you need to work on is not always what you actually need to work on to improve. StrokeAverage.com are great at keeping you moving forward."

DARREN CLARKE: “The experts at StrokeAverage.com simplify the game so much telling me exactly what I need to work on to improve!"

DAVID HOWELL: “In June 2003 when I started working with the guys at StrokeAverage.com, I ranked 170 in the world. With their help my game is now much stronger!”

PAUL McGINLEY: “I was looking to understand my game better. The services of those at StrokeAverage.com help me to do this and take my game to the next level!”