LOS ANGELES (AP) – Tiger Woods is starting a new year with a new look.
Just not a different color.
Woods is set to make his 2024 debut this week at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, a prestigious event on the PGA Tour where he serves as the tournament host. His first priority is to reveal what he previously referred to as the next “chapter.”
After a partnership of 27 years, Woods and Nike parted ways at the end of last year. He bid farewell to the iconic swoosh logo on his shirt during the PNC Championship, where he competed alongside his son, Charlie, who sported attire from a different apparel company.
On Monday at 4 p.m. PST, Woods has scheduled a press conference outside the gates of Riviera to discuss his clothing choices for the limited tournaments he will participate in. All indications point towards TaylorMade as the likely brand. Notably, Woods already uses their golf clubs, and TaylorMade Lifestyle Ventures has submitted four trademark applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “Sunday Red” or “SDR.”
On January 8, Woods made an official announcement that his long-standing relationship with Nike had come to an end. Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports Management, hinted at an exciting announcement to come at Riviera.
In recent times, Woods has been building anticipation for this announcement through his social media posts. A week ago Monday, he shared a closeup of his face with the caption, “The vision remains the same.” On Friday, he posted a picture of himself wearing a red shirt, accompanied by the words, “A new day rises.”
Throughout his entire career, Woods has consistently worn some variation of red on Sundays. This tradition stems from his mother, Kultida, who advised him that red was his power color. Additionally, she gifts him a new head cover featuring a Tiger each season, adorned with Thai words that express her love for him.
The key to Woods’ success lies in reaching Sunday. After recovering from ankle surgery following the Masters, he made his comeback by playing all four rounds of the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December, marking his return to competitive golf after an absence of nearly eight months.
Woods, despite his injuries, managed to make the cut in the rain-delayed Masters. However, he decided to withdraw on Sunday morning before completing the third round. It is worth noting that he also made the cut at the Genesis Invitational last year and finished tied for 45th place.
The Genesis Invitational holds a significant purse of $20 million, and as a player-hosted signature event, the winner will receive $4 million. Unlike other signature events, the Genesis Invitational implements a 36-hole cut, allowing only the top 50 players and ties, as well as those within 10 shots of the lead, to continue.
Although Woods’ appearance may have changed, it is not as noticeable as it once was. Prior to the car crash he had in Los Angeles after the 2021 Genesis Invitational, Woods had already undergone four back surgeries, with the last one fusing his lower spine.
Following the accident, Woods did not participate in any further tournaments for the remainder of the year. However, despite concerns that he may never play again, he made a remarkable recovery and competed in the 2022 Masters, successfully making it to Sunday. It is worth mentioning that Woods has never missed the cut at Augusta National as a professional golfer.
After undergoing a right ankle fusion following the Masters tournament last year, Woods expressed a positive outlook for the year 2024. He has established a target of participating in one event per month during the major season, which commences at Riviera.
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