Golf great Tiger Woods and long-time sponsor Nike are coming to the end of their relationship, according to reports.
The golf GOAT and the sportswear giant first inked a deal in 1996, and it is reported that Woods has earned hundreds of millions in endorsement deals since that time, according to Front Office Sports.
Tiger Woods recieves his Green Jacket for winning the Masters Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club on April 13, 1997, in Augusta, Georgia. Tiger Woods won the Masters with an 18 under par. (Focus on Sport via Getty Images)
Nike has stuck with Woods through five Masters Championships but also through the dark times of marriage troubles, substance abuse issues, car accidents, and numerous injuries that have kept him off the golf course.
If true, the first to report on the break up was the golf podcast No Laying Up, which claimed on Monday that next week’s PNC Championship will likely be the last time Nike sponsors Woods.
It was unclear if Nike was dumping Woods or if it was a mutual parting of ways.
Woods has been using gear and footwear from other companies in recent years. He started using FootJoy shoes after his ankle surgery last year and is using clubs by TaylorMade after Nike closed out its club manufacturing line.
Indeed, his choice to go with FootJoy in 2022 raised some eyebrows because he was still under contract with Nike.
Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the World Golf Championships – Accenture Match Play at the Golf Club at Dove Mountain on February 21, 2013 in Marana, Arizona. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Despite the shoe snub, Nike released a statement praising Woods: “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. 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 has stuck up for Nike in the past, too. In 2018, when the left-wing company came under fire for a woke ad with anti-American former NFL football player Colin Kaepernick, Woods called the ad a “beautiful spot.”
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