Tiger Woods has made hundreds of million of dollars through his partnership with Nike over the last 25 years, which is why golf fans were stunned to see him wearing FootJoy shoes at Augusta National this week. That apparently has to do with comfort.
Tiger, who has not played in a professional tournament in over a year, is practicing at Augusta this week in hopes of playing in the Masters. He wore a black pair of FootJoy shoes on the range on Sunday and a white pair on Monday.
What gives? There was so much buzz about Tiger’s spikes that Nike issued a statement. While the company did not go into specifics, the statement implied that the FootJoy shoes are providing Woods with better support as he works his way back from serious injuries.
“Like golf fans around the world, we are delighted to see Tiger back on the course. He is an incredible athlete, and it is phenomenal to see him returning to the game at this level,” Nike told ESPN’s Michael Collins. “His story continues to transcend sport and inspire us all. As he continues his return, we will work with him to meet his new needs.”
Woods suffered serious injuries in a car accident on Feb. 23, 2021. The injuries were so severe that he nearly had to have his leg amputated. It makes sense that he would prioritize comfort and support over a sponsorship at the moment.
Longtime sports business reporter Darren Rovell thinks there is a lot more to it than that. He speculated on Monday that Tiger is unhappy with Nike. It’s unclear when Tiger’s current deal with the company expires, but he does not have a lifetime contract like LeBron James. Rovell wonders if he wants one.
“But anyone who knows the business knows that if Woods needed something, it would have been voiced and fixed way before he got out on the course. If (Nike) couldn’t make him a new spike, they could have fudged it,” Rovell wrote at Action Network. “The only way Tiger walks out in shoes branded FootJoy is if Tiger wants to come out and wear shoes branded FootJoy.”
The storyline will be something to watch if Woods does end up playing in the Masters. Some footage has already surfaced of him hitting balls, and the 46-year-old looks great all things considered.
More must-reads: