LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tiger Woods and Sunday Red are no longer just shirts. It's a brand.
Woods is starting the new year with a new look, announcing Monday night an extension of his partnership with TaylorMade Golf and the launch of his lifestyle brand Sunday Red.
The change comes after Woods and Nike ended their 27-year relationship, which began after Woods turned professional in August 1996 with the “Hello, World” campaign.
Nike ended its equipment business (golf clubs and golf balls) in 2016. Woods previously had deals with TaylorMade for clubs and Bridgestone for golf balls. Currently, he is fully committed to his line of TaylorMade apparel and shoes.
“It's the right time in my life,” Woods, 48, said on stage at an event rather than a press conference at an upscale restaurant off Sunset Boulevard. “It's a transition period. You're not a kid anymore.”
He wore a cashmere hoodie and black shoes without the Swoosh.
According to the company, “Sunday Red” was created by incorporating Woods' 15 major championships into a three-word tiger logo. Woods said he would update his logo if he won another major.
The logo comes from the “Rule of Three,” which uses three words to give it more impact. Woods has often said that his goal in golf is to “work hard, think hard, play hard.”
“I have learned a lot over the years and have a lifetime of experience making adjustments to help me play better based on clothing and shoe construction,” Woods said in a news release. “There are some things I can say that no one knew I did all these years ago. I'm ready to share those secrets with the world.”
Throughout his career, Woods has worn variations of red on Sundays because his Thai-born mother, Kultida, taught him it was his power color.
TaylorMade Golf will launch its first men's apparel line online in the U.S. and Canada on May 1, between the Masters and PGA Championship. The website went live while Woods and TaylorMade CEO David Abeles spoke. Eventually, they hope to add footwear, women's and children's lines as well as expand into major markets.
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The shadow box revealed a variety of apparel, along with golf shoes, golf gloves, and the Tiger logo on the front of the cap that has featured the Nike Swoosh or “TW” for a quarter of a century.
Sun Day Red is an independent brand with its own designers, staff and headquarters. Woods and TaylorMade have added a fashion and culture leader to the brand's operations. Brad Blankinship, who previously led lines such as Quiksilver and RVCA, has been named president of Sunday Red.
The announcement came three days before Woods makes his 2024 debut at the PGA Tour's signature event, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where he will serve as tournament host.
Woods and Nike ended their 27-year relationship late last year. The last time he wore the Swoosh on his shirt was at the PNC Championship, where he played alongside his son Charlie, who wore clothes from another clothing company.
All signs point to an expanded deal with TaylorMade, and TaylorMade 4 trademark applications Registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “Sunday Red” or “SDR.”
Woods recently teased the announcement on social media. He posted a close-up of his face a week ago on Monday and said: “The vision remains the same.” On Friday, he posted: dark photo of him in a red shirt It said, “A new day begins.”
The key to his legendary redshirt on Sunday is making it to the final round, but repeated injuries mean his chances are more limited than ever.
Woods played all four rounds at Riviera last year. He competed in the 2023 Masters, but withdrew before finishing the third round on Sunday morning, which was postponed due to rain. He underwent surgery to stabilize his ankle after the Masters and did not return until December in the Bahamas for the 20-man Hero World Challenge.
As a signature event, the Genesis Invitational features a $20 million purse, with the winner receiving $4 million. This tournament is a player-run tournament, so there will be a 36-hole cut to the top 50 and ties, with players within 10 strokes of the lead being chosen.
Woods was optimistic in the Bahamas last year, setting a goal of playing once a month throughout the major season. That new season begins on the Riviera.
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