Tiger Woods ended up withdrawing from last year's MastersGETTY
The iconic partnership between Tiger Woods and Nike could be coming to an end. The partnership that has been in force since 1996 is reportedly going to be over in less than a month. The 2023 PNC Championship might be the last time that the golfer is seen in Nike apparel.
There are several reasons as to why Tiger Woods and the brand could be splitting up. One potential reason is that one of Nike’s OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) could be creating their original apparel line, as reported by the No Laying Up golf podcast.
TWLegion, a golf account, further stated:
“Nike Golf is apparently not shutting down in ‘24 – but its golf apparel division is going to be run through Srixon / Cleveland is my understanding. So regardless of the situation with Tiger, operational changes are coming to Nike Golf next year.”
https://x.com/TWlegion/status/1731891474176872601?s=20
TWLegion has also reported that TaylorMade could be in the mix to make the new golf apparel. Ever since Nike stopped producing its own clubs, Tiger Woods has been using TaylorMade clubs.
https://x.com/TWlegion/status/1731898361538630117?s=20
Alongside Tiger Woods, other Nike golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler could also be looking for change. These reports, however, have not been confirmed by the brand itself.
Looking at the signs that Tiger Woods might be splitting up with Nike
The first sign of the split was that Tiger Woods stopped wearing Nike Footwear after his accident. He was seen wearing FootJoy at the Masters in April and the recent Hero World Challenge.
Speaking about the change in footwear,Tiger Woods stated (via NZ Herald):
“I have very limited mobility now. Just with the rods and plates and screws that are in my leg, I needed something different, something that allowed me to be more stable. That’s what I’ve gone to.”
While Nike did release a statement saying that they would accomodate Woods’ needs, there have been no further developments regarding that. Many believe this indicates the two might be parting ways.
