Tiger Woods, the famed golfer, has chosen to conclude his 27-year relationship with Nike, the sportswear giant. The partnership began in 1996 when a 20-year-old Woods signed a five-year, $40 million contract with Nike. The company subsequently established a golf division using Woods as the anchoring force. This collaboration saw Woods win 15 major titles and achieve 82 PGA Tour victories, significantly boosting Nike’s golf branding.

Woods made the announcement of his split with Nike on his social media account on Monday. The decision, described by Mark Steinberg, Woods’ long-standing agent, as a “business decision”, casts a cloud over Nike’s future within the increasingly popular sport of golf.

The discontinuation of the partnership, which saw Woods as Nike’s premier athlete for almost three decades, poses questions about the future of Nike’s golf line without the game’s biggest star. The split was confirmed by Woods during the final round of the PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, on December 17, 2023. The dissolution of this prominent partnership signals a fundamental change in the sporting and branding worlds.