This week, Woods makes his 2024 debut as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, a PGA Tour main event. Introducing what he mentioned as the upcoming “chapter” in December is the first item on the agenda.
At the conclusion of last year, Woods and Nike dissolved their 27-year partnership. The last time he wore the swoosh on his shirt was during the PNC Championship, where he played alongside his son Charlie, who was dressed by a different clothing brand.
On Monday at 5:30 p.m. PST, Woods was supposed to hold a press conference outside Riviera’s gates to talk about his outfit choices for the few events he will be participating in.
Everything suggests TaylorMade. TaylorMade Lifestyle Ventures has submitted four trademark applications for “Sunday Red” or “SDR” to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Woods is already a player with their golf clubs.
On January 8, Woods declared that his partnership with Nike, which had resulted in numerous memorable moments both on the golf field and in advertising, had come to an official end. Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports Management, stated he anticipated “an exciting announcement” at Riviera.
Recently, Woods has been hinting at the news on social media. A week ago on Monday, he shared a close-up of his face along with the caption, “The vision remains the same.” He uploaded a darkened photo of himself on Friday with the caption, “A new day rises,” on a red shirt.
Woods wasn’t at Riviera when the news broke. He appears with the swoosh in a number of tournament and Tiger Woods Learning Center promotional posters.
Since his Thai mother, Kultida, taught him red was his power color, Woods has worn some shade of red on Sundays throughout his career. Every season, she also gets him a new head covering featuring a tiger and the Thai phrase “Love from Mom.”
Reaching Sunday is crucial for that. Following ankle surgery following the Masters, Woods participated in his first tournament in almost eight months, playing all four rounds of the unofficial Hero World Challenge in December.
Due to his ailments, Woods withdrew on Sunday morning before finishing the third round of the rain-delayed Masters. At the Genesis Invitational the previous year, he also made the cut and tied for 45th place.
The Genesis Invitational is a marquee event with a $20 million purse, with $4 million going to the victor. The Genesis Invitational is a player-hosted tournament, therefore unlike the other flagship events, it features a 36-hole cut to the top 50 and ties, as well as any player within 10 strokes of the lead.
It won’t be as visible as it once was, regardless of the new appearance. Woods was recovering from four back operations, the most recent of which involved fusing his lower spine, when he was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles shortly after the 2021 Genesis Invitational.
The remainder of the year, he did not play. Despite worries that he might not be able to play again, Woods managed to recuperate in time to compete in the 2022 Masters and reach Sunday. As a professional, he has never missed the cut at Augusta National.
Following the Masters last year, Woods had surgery to fuse his right ankle, and he was upbeat about 2024. His objective is to play once a month throughout the major league season. It begins at Riviera.
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