KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Lund and Mercury Pro, Jeff 'Gussy' Gustafson accomplished historic firsts as the new king of the Tennessee River winning his first Bassmaster Classic title on Sunday. During the three-day tournament, onboard his Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass boat powered by a Mercury 250 ProXS, Gustafson went wire-to-wire becoming the first Canadian pro and Lund sponsored angler to win the coveted Bassmaster Classic trophy. Gussy led all three days consecutively by a wide margin and finished with a three-day total of 42-7, a nearly two-pound advantage over the rest of the field.
'It's the highlight of my fishing career by one million times,' said Gustafson. 'It's been a wild ride. I'm only here because I'm a regular guy. I had a lot of help to get here, I have amazing sponsors, or I wouldn't be out here.'
'The Bassmaster Classic is the biggest title in bass fishing, and on behalf of the entire Lund team, we couldn't be prouder of Jeff for his incredible performance and win this past weekend,' said Lenn Scholz, Lund Boats president. 'Jeff represents everything that Lund embodies, and his win is a not only a testament to his talent on the water, but our continued dedication to powering champions. We look forward to supporting his continued success on the circuit and congratulate him on an incredible weekend.'
'We are thrilled with the Team Mercury performance at this year's Bassmaster Classic,' said Michelle Kilburn, Mercury senior manager of competitive angling. 'With nine of the top 10 finishers and a championship by Jeff Gustafson, we could not be prouder of this group of anglers.'
Adding to Brunswick Boat Group's lineup of top finishers, Crestliner and Mercury Pro John Cox had one of his best Classic appearances with a fifth-place finish. Cox secured a top five finish with a three-day total of 36-13 onboard his Crestliner MX 21 powered by a Mercury 250 ProXS.
Nodding to the power of the Brunswick portfolio, four of the top five finishers, and nine of the top 10, were powered by Mercury Pro XS outboards, the brand powering more professional anglers in the U.S. than any other. Additionally, Lowrance supplied the on-water technology for seven of the top 10 finishers as a leading provider of marine electronics among professional anglers.
Gustafson and Cox will head to South Carolina next for the next Elite Series event on April 20-23 at Lake Murray.
About Brunswick
Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) is the global leader in marine recreation, delivering innovation that transforms experiences on the water and beyond. Our unique, technology-driven solutions are informed and inspired by deep consumer insights and powered by our belief that 'Next Never Rests.' Brunswick is dedicated to industry leadership, to being the best and most trusted partner to our many customers, and to building synergies and ecosystems that enable us to challenge convention and define the future. Brunswick is home to more than 60 industry-leading brands. In the category of Marine Propulsion, these brands include, Mercury Marine, Mercury Racing and MerCruiser. Brunswick's comprehensive collection of parts, accessories, distribution, and technology brands includes Mercury Parts & Accessories, Land 'N' Sea, Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, Mastervolt, RELiON, Attwood and Whale. Our boat brands are some of the best known in the world, including Boston Whaler, Lund, Sea Ray, Bayliner, Harris Pontoons, Princecraft and Quicksilver. Our service, digital and shared-access businesses include Freedom Boat Club, Boateka and a range of financing, insurance, and extended warranty businesses. While focused primarily on the marine industry, Brunswick also successfully leverages its portfolio of advanced technologies to deliver an exceptional suite of solutions in mobile and industrial applications. Headquartered in Mettawa, IL, Brunswick has more than 18,500 employees operating in 29 countries. In 2022, Brunswick was named by Forbes as a World's Best Employer and as one of America's Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek, both for the third consecutive year. For more information, visit brunswick.com.
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