🏌🏻 Tiger's Massive Nike Earnings

Good morning. Tiger Woods made headlines at the closing of the last year and now at the opening too. We dive into how much Nike has contributed to Tiger’s earnings in 27 years, his next potential play, questions that LIV Golf is raising - but left unanswered, and Rickie Fowler is the latest to announce his allegiance to PGA Tour.

That, and tips to improve your ball striking in this edition of Golf Reporter.

Make yourself comfortable and let's tee-off.

⛳ This day in history: On this day in 1811, the first ever all female golf tournament was held at Musselburgh Golf Club, Scotland, among the town fishwives. None of the players’ names were recorded.

ALBATROS
Tiger Woods Splits With Nike, Hints At Return To The Genesis Invitational

Tiger Woods has brought an end to his 27-year long partnership with Nike. Nike began sponsoring Woods when he was just 20 years old, making an introduction via the famous 'Hello World' TV advert.

Each of Woods' 82 PGA Tour titles and 15 Major championship victories have come while wearing the Nike logo on his chest. The recent PNC Championship - in which Woods and his son Charlie finished T5 at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club marks Woods' final appearance in Nike apparel.

Woods could turn to Adidas, FootJoy or Eastside Golf as his new sponsor. As for Nike, they continue to have some top names in their roster including Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Nelly Korda and Tommy Fleetwood.

Amidst the Nike saga, Woods has hinted towards a possible return on the PGA Tour in February. He previously said that he wishes to play one event a month.

Woods is likely to be seen in action at the Genesis Invitational. He is the host of the tournament and its scheduled to take place from February 15-18 at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.

Nike's Contribution To Tiger Woods' Fortune

1996: 5-year, $40 million contract

2001: 5-year, $100 million contract

2006: 8-year, $20-$40 million contract

2013: 10-year, $200 million contract

Tiger Woods has roughly earned $500 million through his contracts during his 27-year long partnership with Nike.

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
The Unsolved Puzzles of LIV Golf’s Upcoming Season

The third season of LIV Golf is less than a month away. The opening event - LIV Mayakoba is scheduled to begin from February 2 at the El Camaleon Golf Club.

Here are the most pressing questions ahead of LIV Golf’s return.

What Will John Rahm's Team Name Be?

John Rahm will have his own team in LIV Golf. Rahm is still mulling over his team name. There has been no official confirmation yet.

Who Will Be John Rahm's Team-mates?

Tony Finau and Adri Arnaus were rumoured to be Rahm's team-mates at LIV but they seem to have other plans. Rahm still doesn't know who will turn up alongside him at the season opener next month.

Where Will The Individual and Team Championship Be Held?

The Individual Championship is a new addition to the 2024 schedule. There’s no confirmation of either its date or venue.

The Team Championship was held at Florida’s Trump National Doral last two years but there's hasn't been any official announcement regarding its venue this season.

Where Will The Pre-Masters Event Be Held?

Last year, the tournament immediately before The Masters was held in Orlando. Details regarding this year's venue are yet to be revealed.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

Sony Open Qualifiers: Torrential rain and flooding on Oahu led to the suspension of play at the Monday Qualifier of the Sony Open. The field includes Korn Ferry Tour and Q-School graduates. The Sony Open is scheduled to begin on January 11.

Lexi Thompson: LPGA star Lexi Thompson has appointed Colton Heisey as her full-time caddie for the 2024 season. Heisey earlier replaced Lexi's brother Nicholas Thompson as her bagman mid-way through 2023.

Patrick Reed: A Florida federal judge has ordered Patrick Reed to pay a compensation fee to Brandel Chamblee and other news associates, against whom he lodged a case for criticizing him publicly, following his defection to LIV Golf. Reed's $750 million lawsuit has now been turned down twice.

BIRDIE
Rickie Fowler Pledges Loyalty To PGA Tour, Quashes Sponsorship Rumors

Rickie Fowler is staying on the PGA Tour. The six-time PGA Tour winner has made it clear that he is ‘excited’ about his future on the American circuit. The 35-year-old has ‘no plans’ to join LIV.

Rumors regarding Fowler's move to LIV Golf began circulating after he reportedly dropped two of his longtime sponsors, Farmers Insurance and Rocket Mortgage. He has now cleared that he hasn’t ‘dropped’ them and is working on contract renewal.

Fowler played The Sentry 2024 in Hawaii with both sponsors missing from his attire. The Farmers Insurance logo on the right side of his hat and the Rocket Mortgage logo, which is usually placed on the right sleeve of his shirt, were absent.

The logos will be back on his outfit at his next event, which will most likely be The American Express.

DRIVING RANGE
3 Ways To Improve Ball Contact

This video brings to you simple drills to improve ball striking contact. Three foolproof ways to hit the fall farther and harder with minimal effort.