End of an Era as Tiger Woods, Nike Part Ways

By
Kevin George
Kevin George
Full Bio
Kevin George is a freelance crypto writer and editor for Investopedia. He holds a master's degree in finance and has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of trading, markets, and economics.
Learn about our editorial policies
Published January 08, 2024
Tiger Woods in the PNC Championship golf tournament in December 2023 in Orlando, Florida

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

Key Takeaways

  • Golf legend Tiger Woods announced Monday that he is parting ways with sportswear brand Nike Corp.
  • The 27-year partnership launched Woods' career and helped him become a billionaire.
  • After a career-threatening car accident in early 2021, Woods returned to action wearing shoes from a rival brand.

Tiger Woods, arguably the greatest golfer ever, announced Monday that he will part ways with Nike Corp. The brand has been synonymous with Woods for years, providing the clothing for his 15 major championships and 82 PGA titles.

Woods has been aligned with Nike since he turned professional at age 20 and went on to revolutionize golf. The lucrative Nike deal contributed to Woods' becoming a billionaire, and he expressed appreciation in a social media post Monday to the sportswear firm and its founder, Phil Knight.

"Phil Knight's passion and vision brought this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way," Woods said Monday on X, the social media platform.

Woods' deal with Nike was said to be valued at $500 million throughout his career. The news follows a strategic change for Nike after the company stopped making golf products in 2016. Woods formerly was one of four billionaire athletes who committed long-term to the sportswear brand. Basketball stars LeBron James and Michael Jordan are still with Nike, along with soccer's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Nike released its own statement, saying it was an "honor" to partner with "one of the greatest athletes the world has ever seen.” 

The writing may have been on the wall for Woods and Nike when the golfer made a long-awaited comeback at the U.S. Masters tournament in 2022 after a serious car crash. Woods took to the course wearing shoes by rival golf brand Footjoy and said that he was looking for stability and comfort after his leg injury.

Woods' last PGA tour win came in October 2019 at the Zozo Championship, where the iconic golfer tied Sam Sneed for the most victories at 82.

Nike stock ended Monday up 1.5% at $103.62. The stock is down 17% over the past year.

Do you have a news tip for Investopedia reporters? Please email us at
Article Sources
Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

  1. ABC News. "Tiger Woods, Nike Announce End of 27-Year Partnership."

  2. Forbes. "Tiger Woods No Longer a Nike Athlete."

  3. X. "Tiger Woods." Jan. 8, 2024.

  4. The Guardian. "Tiger Woods and Nike Bring $500m 27-Year Partnership to an End."

  5. TalkSport. "Billionaire Tiger Woods To Fall Short of Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan as Unthinkable Nike Split Happens."

  6. The Washington Post. "Tiger Woods, Nike End a Partnership That Began in 1996."

  7. Golf Monthly. "Tiger Woods Explains Why He's Wearing FootJoy Shoes."

  8. ESPN - WRUF. "Tiger Woods Wins ZOZO Championship, Ties PGA Wins Record."

Take the Next Step to Invest
×
The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace.