Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red posted a few days ago that it would be making a big announcement on February 18th. That post was accompanied by a photo of a silhouette of a player, so many fans assumed that the announcement would have to do with an endorsement deal. However, most failed to guess who it could be.
Many thought Charlie Woods, son of the legendary 15-time major champion, might be the first brand ambassador to follow in his father’s footsteps. Others thought Justin Thomas, Tom Kim or Ludvig Aberg. But they were all wrong.
Australian player Karl Vilips is the first Sun Day Red brand ambassador. Tiger Woods himself welcomed him via his Instagram stories, while the brand did it posting on all its social media accounts.
“Karl’s journey has been marked by success at every level he’s played,” Woods said in a press release. “At Sun Day Red, we were drawn towards his relentless work ethic, and pioneering spirit that embodies what we stand for and look for in our athletes. With his impressive track record and determination, I have no doubt he will make a significant impact quickly on the PGA TOUR and is one of the game’s future stars.”
Vilips is one of the top young stars in the golf world. He is currently in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, having earned his card during the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, where he won a tournament and was named Rookie of the Year.
Prior to his professional career, Vilips had an outstanding amateur one that included playing collegiate golf in the United States for Tiger Woods’ alma mater, Stanford University.
The main highlight of his amateur career was winning the gold medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. He also won the Pac-12 Championship in 2024, weeks before graduating from Stanford and joining the Korn Ferry Tour.
Vilips has yet to begin his 2025 season on the PGA Tour. He made his top-level debut in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, where he missed the cut by seven shots.
Tiger Woods founded Sun Day Red in February 2023 in partnership with TaylorMade. The decision came shortly after Woods ended his 26-year relationship with Nike, which signed him in 1996 shortly after he began his professional career.
To date, Sun Day Red has produced several collections of golf apparel. They range from headwear to footwear, including t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, pants, gloves, etc. Until now, Woods himself has been the main face of the brand.
