Nike Golf Athlete Secures 2011 European Tour Card

By: Adam Smith | Thu 04 Nov 2010

Nike Golf staff athlete Matt Haines took a giant leap forward in his professional career this past weekend with victory at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final on the European Challenge Tour. This is his first career victory and comes less than seven months after turning professional. Victory in Italy sees Matt finishing the 2010 Challenge Tour season 2nd in the Tour rankings and, as such, secures his PGA European Tour card.

The 20-year-old former England International and Walker Cup player from Chatham in Kent enjoyed a superb amateur career winning eight major events including 2008 Lytham Trophy and the Spanish Amateur Championship in March 2010. The latter propelled him up to fourth in the world amateur rankings.

Haines wasted no time in making his mark on the ultra-competitive Challenge Tour and made a solid start to his career with a tied fifth finish at the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Spey Valley and a runner-up in the Saint-Omer Open in France. Relying mostly on invitation to play, Matt started the event ranked 18th in the top 45 money earners who made up the field for the season ending event.

Haines’ victory brings to 11 the number of wins by Nike athletes on the professional tours around the world in the 2010 season.

Haines’ Nike Arsenal:
Driver: VR Tour 9.5
Fairway: Dymo 15 & 19
Irons: VR Split Cavity #3-5 and VR TW Blade #6-pw
Wedges: VR 50, 56, 60
Ball: One Tour
Glove: Dri-FIT
Apparel: Border

Footwear: Tour Premium

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