Nike and Tiger Woods are splitting.
Nike shared an image of Woods on the social media platform Monday, with the sentence “It was a hell of a round, Tiger” written above him. The athletic giant also shared a caption that has fans speculating it is the end of an era.
“Tiger, you challenged your competition, stereotypes, conventions, the old school way of thinking. You challenged the entire institution of golf. You challenged us. And most of all, yourself. And for that challenge we’re grateful,” Nike wrote.
Prior to Nike’s post, the golf icon shared a statement of his own on Instagram, addressing his 27-year partnership with the athletic giant. “Phil Knight’s passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way,” Woods wrote.
The conclusion of his statement, however, has fans in the comments perplexed. “People will ask if there is another chapter. Yes, there will certainly be another chapter. See you in LA!” Woods wrote.
Reports began to circulate in December 2023 that Woods could soon part ways with Nike, and that the athletic brand might exit the golf business. Specifically, the “No Laying Up” golf podcast stated the PNC Championship golf tournament, held from Dec. 14-17, could be the last time Woods was represented as a Nike athlete. What’s more, the podcast stated other Nike Golf athletes — including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka — could also part ways and that an apparel brand from a golf equipment manufacturer could be in the works.
At the time of the reports, Williams Trading analyst Sam Poser stated a move like this would harm Nike in a note to investors. “The changes will likely remove Nike’s presence in golf, and will do long term damage to the brand,” Poser wrote.
What’s more, at the start of January, Australian professional golfer Jason Day — a former Nike athlete — signed a deal with Malbon Golf.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
