Sunday Red and Making Ched

An amateur wins on tour, Tiger seeks a new apparel deal, and a newly appointed “woman” wins an NXXT event.

To start let’s give some attention to Nick Dunlap. The 20 yr old University of Alabama player won this past weekend at La Quinta Country Club in the desert of California. The first time an amateur has won on tour since the newly slim and disagreeable Phil Mickelson accomplished the feat at the Tucson Open in 1991.

While it is rare for an amateur to win on tour (it’s only happened 9 times since 1945) Nick is no stranger to winning big golf tournaments. Last year little Nicky won the US Amateur Championship and in 2021 he took home top golfer at the US Junior Amateur Championship. The only other player to win both these tournament’s is none other than Tiger.

In the history of Official Golf Rankings, Nick Dunlap makes the biggest leap of all-time, from 4,129th to 68th.

Nick (if he wasn’t an amateur) would have taken home $1.5 million dollars for the victory and what I never knew is the prize money just kicks down the list. The second place golfer gets the top prize money and the three players who tied for third end up splitting the second place money three ways. The clock is now ticking for the young tide roller to declare himself a professional.

With the win Nick can turn pro at any point this season or he has 30 days from the conclusion of this season to turn pro. With his already impressive resume I’m guessing we will be hearing Nick’s name a lot more in the coming years.

Tiger Woods and Nike have parted ways after 27 years

In what might be Tiger’s second most famous split let’s look back at the numbers over his years with Nike. While Nike posted a great image of Tiger draining a putt at the Masters with the caption “It was a hell of a round, Tiger” I’d still like to envision a Nike exec chasing Woods to his vehicle and smashing the side view mirror with a Sasquatch driver. Here’s what Tiger earned as Nike’s golf ambassador over his 27 years with uncle Phil (Knight).

• 1996 Tiger signed a 5 year $40 million dollar contract

• 2001 Tiger inked a 5 year $100 million dollar deal

• 2006 Tiger re upped for 8 years $320 million dollars

• 2013 Tiger signs what would be his last contract with the brand for 10 years $200 million

Nike Golf sales peaked at $792 million dollars in 2013.

This news brought big speculation on what Tiger’s next move would be. With a handful of brands clamoring for his affection like a Perkins waitress with a glass of sweet tea and a dream. In reality he most likely had already cemented what would be the next branding move. A few days after the split from Nike there were betting odds on which brand he would choose. Taylor Made, Greyson, even Under Armour had +1000 odds. With his equipment deal with TM the writing was on the wall just like his cell number at a few truck stops.

The deal has not been made official but with Taylor Made patenting “Sunday Red” I think it is safe to say it’s done like dinner.

In 2017 Tiger signed a reported $10 million dollar per year deal with the brand as an equipment endorser. This came at a time when TM was bleeding cash, a reported $80 million dollars per year hemorrhage. The same year a Manhattan based private equity firm KPS Financial purchased Taylor Made for $380 million dollars. With Tiger at the helm as their lead ambassador they parlayed that into the sale of the company in 2021 for $1.7 billion. In the year that KPS unloaded Taylor Made the brand profited $200 million dollars. That’s a nearly 9x return and a profit of $1.5 billion dollars for those keeping track.

Now the owners of Taylor Made have also recently invested heavily into another venture co lead by Tiger, the miniature golf and dining venue Popstroke. Founded by a former Wall Street exec. the casual golf/bar/dining establishment with the help of Tiger and now Taylor Made is worth an estimated $650 million. Everything is connected so it would seem. Not a shock to anyone inside the industry. If Tiger can remain even somewhat relevant I’m positive this deal with Taylor Made for apparel and all their investment in popstroke a lot of folks including Tiger will continue to line their pockets.

Former mens collegiate golfer wins female golf event

A Scottish transgender golfer has won the NXXT Women’s Classic at Mission Inn Resort and Club in Florida with sights set on LPGA Tour membership. The NXXT tour has a self proclaimed mission statement that “we prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for the LPGA Tour” adding we’re focused on “elevating women’s golf”.

Hailey Davidson born James Scott Davidson played mens golf on scholarship at an NCAA division 2 school then transferred to a Division 3 school also competing in mens golf.

There have been rumors and some have suggested the hate is categorized as “transphobic” I believe it’s really just sad for women and young girls competing in athletics. Will their scholarships or the chance or turning pro or making a career out of something they love one day be stomped out by groundskeeper Willy (less)? Only time will tell. I personally love watching “Women’s” golf and think their game has grown so much in the last decade. But one thing I don’t want it to grow is a penis.

As a good friend of mine said to me recently, “Now men are beating women at being a woman.”

I really enjoy the combo events of PGA and LPGA players and want both the men’s and women’s games too flourish. I just do not want hard working young females to quit or never even pick up the game. I want parents to get their daughters involved in sports without thinking some dude is going to take their spot. It seems unfair and selfish. So ladies, get out there and keep kicking ass because your smooth swings and flawless putting are an absolute joy for any fan of golf to watch.

Signing off for now,

Larry Wize