Tag

world

Browsing
The golfing icon is ready for something new

Tiger Woods has paid tribute to Nike after confirming that he is splitting with the sportswear giant after 27 years as a sponsor.

The 48-year-old joined forces with the brand when he was an up and coming amateur golfer at 21. What followed between the 1990s and 2000s was a period of domination never seen in golf before.

Video thumbnail

Tiger Woods son shares mind-blowing similarities of his father

Having won the Masters five times in his career, Woods also won the PGA Championship four times and US Open on three occasions, in addition to clinching the Open thrice in his career between 2001 and 2006.

He became synonymous with the famous Nike ‘swoosh’ that was displayed on his red polo shirt and his lucrative deal reportedly reached a value of around $500million.

Tiger Woods breaks silence after announcing Nike split to end 27-year partnership

An emotional goodbye

Woods paid tribute to former Nike CEO Phil Knight in particular, calling it a ‘pleasure’ working with him, as well as the brand itself for “amazing moments and memories”.

“Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate enough to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world,” his statement read.

“The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories. Phil Knight‘s passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I personally want to thank him, along with the other Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way.

“People will ask if there is another chapter. Yes, there will certainly be another chapter.”

Nike made its own social media post confirming the news, posting a tribute to the legendary golfer: “It was a hell of a round, Tiger.”

The writing was on the wall

Woods‘ full-time golfing career was effectively brought to an end when he was hospitalized in a serious but stable condition after a single-car collision.

After suffering multiple injuries, he required emergency surgery to repair compound fractures sustained in his right leg in addition to a shattered ankle.

It had been expected for some time that he would be bringing an end to his partnership with Nike, although the Californian has kept his cards close to his chest.

Most notably, he was seen wearing FootJoys at the 2022 Masters and his comments, revealing he needed “something different”, ignited speculation that a split was on the cards.

Tiger Woods announced on Monday, January 8, the end of his sponsorship contract with Nike. The end of the iconic relationship has raised numerous questions among fans about Woods’ likely future, but also about that of his son Charlie.

At 14 years of age, Charlie Woods is already taking his first steps in golf with good results. This, coupled with his obvious relationship with his father Tiger Woods, makes Charlie an option for potential sponsors to consider.

Tiger and Charlie Woods, 2023 PNC Championship (Image via Getty).
Tiger and Charlie Woods, 2023 PNC Championship (Image via Getty).

There is no rumor associated with the possible signing of Charlie Woods with Nike, neither before Tiger Woods left the brand, nor now. A few weeks ago, reports emerged that Charlie had signed a sponsorship contract with Greyson Clothiers, but this has not been officially confirmed.

Greyson Clothiers is a golf clothing and apparel brand that, among other athletes, sponsors Justin Thomas. Charlie Woods played one of the rounds of the 2023 PNC Championship wearing a sweater with the company’s branding visible.

That same day, former National Football League (NFL) star Larry Fitzgerald, who is also sponsored by Greyson Clothiers, posted on Instagram a “welcome back” to Tiger Woods’ son. The brand’s official account reposted Fitzgerald’s post but later deleted it.

These instances, coupled with the rumor (now confirmed) that Tiger Woods would leave Nike, led some to think that Charlie could be sponsored by Greyson Clothiers. But the truth is that there is no confirmation of this or any other sponsor working with Charlie Woods.


Tiger Woods, Charlie Woods and sponsorship contracts

In the United States, it is completely legal for a company to have a sports sponsorship contract for a minor. The legal formality is completed with their parents or guardians, but the object of the contract is still the child as a sports figure.

This type of sponsorship contract has few limitations and these are not present in all states. Generally, there are prohibitions for certain types of food and beverages to sponsor children.

For that reason, there is no real limitation on Charlie Woods having a sports sponsorship. Whether with Greyson Clothiers or with any of the companies that have sponsored or currently sponsor his father, the relationship can be freely negotiated.

This is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the sport the child plays, whether the child actively and regularly participates in tournaments, the quality of the sport, and the sponsorship the company can offer. The latter can be clothing and footwear, equipment, or all-inclusive.

There is also no limit to the number of sponsors a player, Charlie Woods in this case, can have. The only limiting factor is the player’s actual ability to meet his obligations to the sponsoring brand.

Throughout his career, Tiger Woods has been sponsored by, among others, Monster Energy, MusclePharm, Fuse Science, Rolex, Bridgestone, 2K Sports, Hero Motocorp, Upper Deck, TaylorMade and Titleist. All of them in parallel with his iconic contract with Nike.

Ever since Tiger Woods made his triumphant return from his sabbatical, he has consistently found himself in the media spotlight, with each instance capturing public attention for various reasons. The most recent being about his probable fallout with Nike. But amidst the Nike-Woods chaos, Charlie Woods’s alleged Greyson deal has stolen the limelight. The spotlight on Woods Jr., stealing the show at a mere 14 years old, paints a bigger picture.

USA Today via Reuters

Following in his father’s footsteps, Charlie, at just 14 years old, has probably signed a deal with Greyson Clothiers. He was welcomed into the Greyson Clothiers family by famous NFL player Larry Fitzgerald, who posted the news of Woods Jr. joining the pack on his Instagram account.

Adding fuel to this already heated situation is the intriguing detail from last week’s PNC Championship: while the five-time Masters winner adorned himself in Nike attire, Charlie sported garments from Greyson Clothiers. The timing of this apparel contrast is noteworthy, given that Tiger’s longstanding deal with Nike was set to conclude over the weekend following the father-son joint participation in the PNC Championship.

However, the most significant twist unfolded within hours after midnight, as Tiger’s Nike contract officially expired, marking a pivotal moment for Charlie, who promptly inked his first major sponsorship deal with Greyson. Notably, with his deal with the clothing brand, Charlie has outshined his father by almost 7 years! The 82x PGAT winner signed with Nike when he was 21, unlike Charlie, who bagged his first endorsement at just 14 years old.

via Reuters

Along with a passion for golf, Charlie Woods has also inherited a unique sense of style from his father. The 15-time major champion is one of those rare golfers who is not only excellent on the field but also has a huge following for his style.

Woods Sr. has surely had a good run with Nike. In his three-decade-long partnership with Nike, he has served some serious fashion goals with the brand’s apparel, especially Sunday’s red.

A look at Woods’ first brand endorsement

When Tiger Woods made his professional debut in 1996, he was already a towering figure in the golfing realm. Seizing the opportunity, Nike, which was a well-established name at the time, promptly secured Woods as its ambassador. Consequently, at the youthful age of 21, Woods signed his first endorsement with a giant brand. He received $40 million for a five-year deal. Then, he bagged $100 million to renew this deal after 5 years.

This symbiotic partnership flourished, proving mutually advantageous as both Woods and Nike reaped substantial rewards from their collaborative journey. Overall, throughout the past 27 years, the golfer has made upward of $500 million from his signings and renewals with Nike.

USA Today via Reuters

If you ask a golf fan, many will claim Tiger Woods to be the best golfer to ever exist. The recently turned 48-year-old is currently recovering from a right foot injury. This injury has caused him to miss out on multiple PGA Tour events. He made only five starts in official PGA Tour events in the past two seasons.

But his legacy is something that cannot be ignored. He has been consistently winning the Player of the Year Award for years. But fans might be wondering how many times has he won the prestigious award.

How many Player of the Year Awards has Tiger Woods won?

The Player of the Year award for golfers on the PGA Tour is handed out twice by two different organizations: the PGA Tour itself, plus the PGA of America. While the PGA of America’s Player of the Year award started before, the PGAT’s version has now become more popular.

via Reuters

But it rarely matters as most of the time both awards have been given to the same golfer. But like everyone expected, Woods holds the record for most Player of the Year awards won by a PGA Tour golfer. The 48-year-old has won the award for a record eleven times!

Woods got his first Player of the Year Award in 1997, and then he was the consistent pick. The American golfer won the award in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2013.+

He is the only player who has won the award more than 10 times. The second-most Player of the Year award is won by Tom Watson for a total of 6 times. Jack Nicklaus follows third with 5 and Ben Hogan in fourth place with 4 wins.

List of players who won Player of the Year Awards

While Tiger Woods is the undeniable leader on this list, he has not won since 2013. Here are the PGA Tour golfers who have won Player of the Year awards:

Year PGA (Points) PGA Tour (Vote)
2023 Scottie Scheffler
2022 Cameron Smith Scottie Scheffler
2021 Jon Rahm Patrick Cantlay
2020 Justin Thomas Dustin Johnson
2019 Brooks Koepka Rory McIlroy
2018 Brooks Koepka Brooks Koepka
2017 Justin Thomas Justin Thomas
2016 Dustin Johnson Dustin Johnson
2015 Jordan Spieth Jordan Spieth
2014 Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy
2013 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2012 Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy
2011 Luke Donald Luke Donald
2010 Jim Furyk Jim Furyk
2009 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2008 Padraig Harrington Padraig Harrington
2007 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2006 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2005 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2004 Vijay Singh Vijay Singh
2003 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2002 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2001 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
2000 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
1999 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
1998 Mark O’Meara Mark O’Meara
1997 Tiger Woods Tiger Woods
1996 Tom Lehman Tom Lehman
1995 Greg Norman Greg Norman
1994 Nick Price Nick Price
1993 Nick Price Nick Price
1992 Fred Couples Fred Couples
1991 Corey Pavin Fred Couples
1990 Nick Faldo Wayne Levi

Who do you think will eventually surpass the record made by the 48-year-old? Let us know in the comments section below.

Rumors about the ongoing nature of the negotiations between Tiger Woods and his long-lasting sponsor, Nike, are the topic of contention in the realm of golf currently. While an official verdict on the matter remains due, the latest move by Woods’s son, Charlie Woods, is hinting at a possible split.

It has come to the golf world’s attention that Junior Woods has ended up ditching Nike and signing with another golf apparel brand instead. This massive announcement has left curious fans wondering what’s next. Who has Charlie Woods signed a deal with?

Charlie Woods’s recent update stirs Tiger Woods-Nike breakup rumors

Tiger Woods and Nike’s 27-year-long partnership is going through a rough patch at the moment. It’s being speculated that it is either make or break for this deal between billionaires. Charlie Woods’s recent wild decision to sign with an apparel brand, Greyson Clothiers, that is not his father’s long-time sponsor has added fuel to the fire of rumors of their split.

Greyson Clothiers is a famous golf clothing and apparel brand for men, women, and youth alike. They focus on making their products fashionable and functional at the same time. The 14-year-old has been welcomed by Larry Fitzgerald, the MVP of Greyson’s pack, himself.

A recent tweet by TWLegion on X reported the news of the declaration of this new partnership between Greyson Clothiers and Charlie on their official Instagram account. The NFL sensation, Larry Fitzgerald welcomed the young golfer to the team on his Instagram, and wrote, “Welcome to the @greysonclotheirs family, Charlie.” The company reposted this heartfelt welcome message on their official Instagram account, and hence confirmed the 14-year-old’s deal with them, amidst speculation regarding his dad’s split with the billion-dollar giant, Nike.

This has increased speculation of a possible goodbye by his famous father to Nike, as Charlie has not followed in his footsteps and has joined another brand. Even though Woods recently gave a cryptic message when asked for updates on the Nike matter, stating that he is still wearing the brand’s clothes, his son’s decision states otherwise.

Tiger Woods proposes to his ex-wife again – reveals the source

Tiger Woods is not ready to come to a conclusion about his relationship with ex-wife Elin Nordegren, according to sources. According to the National Enquirer, Woods is making a real attempt to reconcile with Nordegren, proposing to her over Christmas vacation and offering her significant financial incentives. The magazine reported that Woods got down on one knee, gave Nordegren a ring and told her he wanted to marry her again. To show his commitment, Woods offered Nordegren a $350 million deal that included anti-cheating provisions meant to give him peace of mind. Despite the large sum, Nordegren is considering the offer, suggesting the golfer’s efforts to win it back have not gone unnoticed. The proposed settlement represents more than half of Woods’ estimated $600 million fortune and shows how willing he is to rebuild relationships. A source familiar with the situation said, “Tiger didn’t even dodge the questions. The accountant thinks he’s crazy, but he’s ready to draw up a marriage contract and set the wedding date. The man never recovered from Elin’s abandonment. “He dated many models and prostitutes, but none lasted more than one night,” he said.

Woods and Nordegren’s tumultuous past includes a high-profile divorce after Woods’ affair was revealed. The couple met in 2001 and married in 2004, and despite the difficulties, they had two children. Woods’ alleged proposal represents a significant move in their attempt to rebuild their relationship. The couple has been separated since 2010, and Nordegren is focusing on renovating their home in Palm Beach, Florida. While the world waits, only time will tell if this romantic twist will lead to a rekindled romance or just another chapter in the complicated history of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren.

ORLANDO — Charlie Woods burst onto the national golf stage three years ago when, at age 11, he joined his father Tiger in playing the PNC Championship. This marks the fourth consecutive time Team Woods has competed at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club to end the year.

Over that span we’ve seen Charlie make his first eagle, shape shots both ways, display a mighty recoil with his driver and drain long birdie putts all while displaying many of the same mannerisms we’ve seen from his Hall of Fame father over the past 25 years. This year, now 14, Charlie stepped back a tee and is playing from the same distance as the likes of John Daly, Jim Furyk, Nelly Korda, Vijay Singh and Steve Stricker.

“I think his speed has gone dramatically up since last year,” Tiger said when assessing Charlie’s game. “But I think that more than anything, it’s just the fact that he’s grown so fast. The aches and pains of growing, just teenage life.”

Charlie is bigger and stronger. On Saturday during the first round, he carried a drive 320 yards, with the ball ending just over the back of the green on the par-4 12th hole.

“I sort of didn’t have the speed that he has at that age,” Tiger said. “But also, I didn’t have the equipment, either. The equipment is so different.”

One thing that is difficult to quantify from watching Charlie on television each year is how his skills compare with other junior golfers in the country. He’s seen alongside the most famous golfer on the planet hitting great golf shots, and annually, whether on social media or from people in the gallery, there are those who contend that he’ll have a long successful PGA Tour career and even potentially win major championships like his old man.

While that could happen, it’s also wise to pump the brakes and realize how far Charlie has come in a relatively short time. Afterall, he mostly played soccer growing up in South Florida and it wasn’t until 2020—when COVID-19 locked down the world—that Charlie found a deeper passion for golf and started to take the game more seriously. That was only three years ago.

“People need to quit comparing him to other kids who have been playing competitive golf for more time,” said a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher in America. “People need to wait and see where he is in five years, 10 years.”

Of course, that’s nearly impossible because his last name is Woods. But the point is valid.

This was Charlie’s first year playing a full competitive junior schedule, playing mostly state and regional competitions.

Junior Golf Scoreboard, which has ranked junior golfers since the late 1990s, has Charlie ranked No. 1,326 out of a database of 10,616 juniors. He’s the 86th-ranked player in those same rankings for the Class of 2027. In the 16 events Charlie played that are recorded in the JGS system, he collected two victories and his low score of 66 came in September in the second round of the Notah Begay III Florida Regional qualifier win at Mission Inn in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., the same place where he shot 78-76 last month to help his high school team win the Class 1A Florida State Championship, which is not a part of the JGS rankings.

Speaking of high school, Florida is a talent-rich state that produces many Division I golfers each year. Charlie ranked 80th overall in high school in Florida this season out of 4,088 boys in the iWanamaker ranking system. He was the ninth-ranked freshman in Florida out of 657 and ranked 28th out of 1,420 in Class 1A, where his Benjamin school competes.

“Charlie is ultra-talented and while he is still newer to competitive golf he has the opportunity to excel long term because of the wealth of experience he can tap into and the opportunity to learn from the GOAT on how to play and prepare,” the aforementioned Top 50 Teacher said. “So many juniors never get exposed to that. In fact one of the things I’ve found is that young players who grow up around really good players have an edge on learning to play. He obviously has a huge leg up in that department.”

What will be interesting moving forward is to see how Charlie might compare to his peers if exposed to more national competition. To date, he has not competed in any AJGA events (he became eligible when he turned 13) nor has he attempted to qualify for any USGA national amateur events, most specifically the U.S. Junior Amateur, an event Tiger won three consecutive years from 1991 to 1993.

1858027935

Mike Mulholland

Said Tiger: “I provide guardrails for him and things that I would like to see him learn and address, but also, then again, I’m trying to provide as much space as I can for him. Because there’s so much of the noise in our lives that people are always trying to get stuff out of us, and my job as a parent is to protect him from a lot of that stuff.

“Also, then again, as a teenager, I want him to try and become his own man at the same time. So it’s a challenge as a parent and to provide that—that atmosphere for him, to learn, to grow, and have that freedom, meanwhile understanding that there’s so much noise looking into our lives at the same time.”

A philosophy that appears to be working beautifully so far.

• • •

Charlie Woods, by the numbers

Florida State High School (iWanamaker)

-Ranked 80th overall out of 4,088 players
-Ninth-ranked freshman out of 657
-Ranked 28th out of 1,420 in Class 1A

Junior Golf Scoreboard

-Ranked No. 1,326 out of 10,616 players
-86th in the Class of 2027

Results of 16 events on JGS rankings

Jan. 7-8, IMG Junior Honda Classic (81-77, 21st place)
Feb. 25-26, HJGT South Florida Junior Open (75-71, 2)
March 4-5, HJGT Jensen Beach Spring Junior Open (79-82, 6)
March 18-19, SFPGA Medalist Tour (78-78, 19)
April 22-23, HJGT PGA National Junior Open (77-82, 18)
April 29-30, SFPGA Medalist Tour (75, 8)
May 6-7, SFPGA Medalist Tour (83-75, 15)
June 3-4, HJGT Major Championship (72-71, WIN)
June 19-20, SFPGA Championship (75-81, 33)
June 22-23, SFPGA Nicklaus Junior Championship (79-75, 20)
Aug. 2-4, SFPGA Junior Cup (75-68-76, 10)
Aug. 19-20, FJT Sandridge Open (74-79, 13)
Sept. 2-4, SFPGA Labor Day Classic (80-70-82, 35)
Sept. 23-24, Notah Begay Florida Regional (71-66, WIN)
Nov. 4-5, Notah Begay Junior National Championship (73-74-68, 35)
Dec. 2-3, SFPGA Tour Championship (69-73, 5)
(HJGT: Hurricane Junior Golf Tour; SFPGA: South Florida PGA Section; FJT: Florida Junior Tour)

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he does not like to participate in F1 tests. The seven-time champion has gone even further in exposing his particular phobia to the classic tests to improve the Mercedes.

During an event in Brackley, Toto Wolff, Mick Schumacher (reserve of the star squad) and Hamilton himself appeared before the assembled crowd and at that moment everyone wondered where the absent George Russell was. The excuse was given that the young British talent was ill… when he was not.

Afterwards, ’44’ took advantage of the juncture to make a surprising confession. “When Toto said on our visit to the factory that George was ill, something came into my head that had to do with me. That’s something I’ve done in the past to miss test days, as it’s not something I like. So when I heard that, I thought, ‘He’s outdone me, he’s gone to another level,'” Lewis said in a statement reported by RaceFans.

Lewis’ win drought

The fact is that the 38-year-old competitor needs to get his act together if he wants to return to past glories. He has not won a race for two years (his last triumph dates back to 2021, when he won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix) and needs Mercedes to get it right once and for all with the new single-seater. Incidentally, the 2024 W15 will be unveiled on Tuesday, February 14 next year.

Precisely, Valentine’s Day is also the date chosen by McLaren for the unveiling of the car to be driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods will return to competitive golf when he is expected to participate in the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas beginning Nov. 30, the golfer announced Saturday.

It will be Woods’ first start since he withdrew before the resumption of the third round of the Masters in April. Woods had surgery on his right ankle two weeks after the Masters to address lingering arthritis that was caused by injuries suffered in a February 2021 car wreck.

Woods, 47, will join 19 other golfers competing at the Albany Golf Club Nov. 3 to Dec. 3. The event is hosted by Woods and benefits his charitable foundation, the TGR Foundation.

Woods has been more visible in recent weeks, with numerous photos and videos surfacing on social media. He was seen caddying for his son, Charlie, at the Notah Begay III Junior Golf Championship.

Afterward, he told the Associated Press that his ankle was fine but there were other were other issues.

“My ankle is fine,’’ he said. “Where they fused my ankle, I have absolutely zero issue whatsoever. That pain is completely gone. It’s the other areas that have been compensated for.”

Woods, who is tied with Sam Snead for most PGA tour wins with 82, has not played in the event since he finished fourth in 2019. While the event is not on the official PGA Tour schedule, it does gives official World Golf Ranking points.