Tiger Woods and TaylorMade launch Sun Day Red, a new golf and lifestyle brand.
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — Tiger Woods was never going to be a free agent for long.
A few days after the confetti was swept from Times Square, an announcement was made that turned a rumor into reality: Tiger Woods and Nike were parting ways after 27 years. The 15-time major winner and the Swoosh were nearly synonymous, with Woods not only wearing the company’s footwear and apparel but also using Nike clubs and balls until the brand left the equipment world in 2016.
Monday evening, 35 days after parting ways with Nike and just a few miles from Riveria Country Club where he will be hosting the Genesis Invitational and making his 2024 PGA Tour debut this week, Tiger Woods, alongside TaylorMade CEO David Abeles, announced the creation of Sun Day Red, a new lifestyle and golf brand.
Sun Day Red will be under the umbrella of TaylorMade, but is going to operate as a completely separate, stand-alone business. It will have its own designers, staff and headquarters. Brad Blankenship, formerly of Quicksilver and RVCA, has been named the brand’s president.
“We organized a completely separate vertical that is not based in Carlsbad (California, where TaylorMade’s headquarters is located),” Abeles said. “This new brand is not based in Carlsbad. It’s in San Clemente.” Abeles went on to say that there is no influence from TaylorMade on Sun Day Red, and it will have its own identity.
Erin Andrews, Tiger Woods and David Abeles Monday at the Sun Day Red launch. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
Asked by host Erin Andrews why he chose to take on this project, Woods said, “It’s the right time. It’s the right time in my life. I’m no longer a kid anymore. I have kids, and this is an important transitional part of my life. I can have something that I can be proud of, a brand that I can be proud of going forward.”
Woods’ fans and the golf industry had a strong hint this was coming when word got out on January 20 that three trademarks for a “Sunday Red” were registered through the United States Patent and Trademark Office by TaylorMade Lifestyle Ventures LLC. Woods has been using TaylorMade clubs and has been a partner of the brand since 2017.
Tiger himself teased the announcement and creation of the brand on Saturday, posting a photo on social media on Saturday that was captioned, “A new day rises. 2.12.24”
Throughout the hour-long presentation on Monday evening, Abeles and Woods repeated the idea that Sun Day Red plans to be more than a golf brand. Yes, the company is going to sell polo shirts, pants and hoodies that can be worn on the course. Many of those products were on display Monday night, as were prototype golf shoes, rain jackets, golf gloves and accessories, but Woods and Abeles said many products will be at home at the gym, like the tee shirts, shorts and other pieces of workout apparel shown Monday night. There will be cashmere pieces, shorts and other things that can be worn around town as well.
Asked what the Sun Day Red team has started to do that has Tiger excited, Woods replied, “The way it fits, the way it feels the way it moves. It’s uninhibited, that’s one of the things that I have conveyed to the entire staff. What’s the best garment to play in, well, that’s no garment at all. No seams, nothing restricting you. That’s the way our pieces should fit.”
Sun Day Red will start selling gear to consumers in the United States and Canada beginning May 1 at sundayred.com, with plans to expand to other markets later. Sun Day Red also plans to carry women’s apparel and footwear, followed by boys’ and girls’ products in the future.
Below are several items featured at Monday evening’s launch event.
Woods has been a brand ambassador for Nike since 1996 when he was 20 years old.
Did Tiger Woods wear the Nike swoosh for the final time in a tournament Sunday at the PNC Championship in Orlando?
Woods was decked out in his traditional Sunday red and black as he played with son Charlie in the two-person scramble and had his daughter Sam on his bag. But there have been persistent rumors that his 27-year relationship with the footwear and apparel giant may be nearing an end as his current contract is set to expire at the end of 2023.
Woods has been a brand ambassador for Nike since 1996 when he was 20 years old. Nike Founder Phil Knight signed Woods to a five-year, $40 million deal when he turned pro following his third consecutive win at the U.S. Amateur, and said of Woods at the time, “The world has not seen anything like what he’s going to do for the sport. It’s almost art. I wasn’t alive to see Claude Monet paint, but I am alive to see Tiger play, and that’s pretty great.” Tiger’s deal, which was inked in 2013, has grown to a reported 10 years at around $200 million.
Tiger Woods looks on from the second tee during the final round of the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on Dec. 17, 2023 in Orlando. (Photo: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Under Woods, Nike Golf apparel became the leading brand and its spikeless footwear grew in popularity but its equipment division never took off and it stopped producing clubs and balls in 2016.
Woods has been using TaylorMade clubs and Bridgestone golf balls in recent years. For nearly two years, he’s been wearing golf shoes made by Foot-Joy. TaylorMade, which formerly was owned by Adidas, has hinted on its website that it intends to step up its involvement in the apparel space starting next year. Several of its club endorsers – from Rory McIlroy to Scottie Scheffler – also wear Nike Golf clothing when they play.
On Saturday, Woods was asked to clarify his relationship with Nike and played coy.
“I’m still wearing their product,” he said.
A reporter pressed him for more: “Is this the end of it coming up?”
“I’m still wearing their product,” he said.
That was true this week but will it remain so in the future is still to be determined.
Flag & Anthem has been offering affordable clothing for golf since the brand opened its doors in 2016.
As the new year approaches, golf merchandise companies are wrapping up the finishing touches on orders that will get their 2024 lines into retail stores, pro shops, and at live events.
Golfweek is taking a look at a number of golf merch manufacturers and distributors, after sifting through their wares at the PGA Merchandise Show in Frisco, Texas, last summer.
Flag & Anthem has been offering affordable clothing for golf since the brand opened its doors in 2016. Russell Weerth is the head of business development and planning at the brand and he explained some of the new patterns and offerings the company has seen success with.
The new fleece collection is made for the course and everyday life.
Fleece is often associated with cooler temperatures, but rarely when it comes to golf. Bad Birdie is breaking barriers with a fleece collection made for the course and everyday life.
Bad Birdie’s fleece collection features blue, greens and neutral staple colors in various hoodies, crewnecks, tees, sweatpants and lounge shorts.
The idea was to elevate the look of comfort and allow some of these pieces to reach the course and expand the brand to non-golfers. The capsule includes both unisex and women’s pieces that are versatile throughout the cooler months. Whether you are using a fleece piece as a layer on the course or for lounging around the house, this collection will provide flexibility and comfort for any task.
Bad Birdie Bad Rope Hat in Baby Blue- $36. (Bad Birdie)
The fleece collection also includes the best-selling Bad Rope Hat in Baby Blue and Subtle Green and the new Rope Hat in Mallard Green.
“It’s no secret that golf has exploded over the last few years. There’s a new culture that isn’t tied to traditional golf wear and our Fleece Collection embraces this new shift,” said Bad Birdie CEO Jason Richardson. “For anyone who is working on their game, this collection focuses on casual comfort anywhere you’re swinging a club.”
Bad Birdie debuts new fleece collection. (Bad Birdie)
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Both top brands and budget beasts made our list to help you look your best, even if you may not play your best.
If you’re looking for a more in depth look at particular apparel, be sure to go through our summer essentials lists to find your next go-to outfit.
From shoes, shorts, polos, hats and everything in between, Golfweek has you covered from head to toe.
FootJoy celebrates 100 years in the golf industry by releasing a special collection of shoes and clothing during the 2023 U.S. Open.
Fifty years ago at the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Johnny Miller shot one of the great rounds in golf history. His 63 on one of the hardest courses in the world, in the final round of a U.S. Open, was an iconic moment. It not only earned Miller a national championship, it also branded him as a style icon.
Back then, golfers could be seen in checkered pants, thick turtlenecks on chilly days and polo shirts with collars so wide they could serve as solar panels. But that day it was Miller’s golf shoes – a pair of red, white and blue FootJoys – that stole the show. Today they are on display at the USGA Golf Museum in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.
While the Premiere Wilcox may look old school, it has modern features and appointments that make it lighter, more breathable and more comfortable than the shoes of 50 years ago. There is still full-grain leather in the upper, but the OrthoLite EcoPlush footbed provides extra cushioning and the VersaTrax+ outsole has multiple traction elements arranged to provide grip on any surface. The Premiere Wilcox also has a two-year waterproof warranty. Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Cameron Young and Adam Scott are expected to wear the limited-edition Premiere Wilcox this week at LACC.
FootJoy has included a Premiere Series Centennial Shield Tip women’s shoe in the same red, white and blue colorway as part of the Centennial Collection. As with the men’s Wilcox, it has full-grain leather, a VersaTrax outsole and a two-year waterproof warranty.
The Centennial Collection apparel line includes four-button polos for men and women, cardigans, hoodies and a crewneck sweater for women that have vintage-inspired styles that you can see below.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka and William Murray collaborate on apparel line that will be donating 100% of its net proceeds to nonprofit charities.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka and William Murray have come together to collaborate on a golf apparel line that will be donating 100 percent of its net proceeds to nonprofit charities.
The two brands were built on the foundation that life and golf don’t have to be too serious. This limited-edition apparel collection line will feature six new pieces for both men and women.
Using Murray’s moisture-wicking properties, the collection will celebrate golf’s Tito’s Transfusion Cocktail with a polo for men and women.
In addition to apparel, there are bags, hats, balls and other accessories available for purchase.
Tito’s Handmade Vodka x William Murray apparel collaboration. (William Murray Golf)
With its recent success, TravisMathew has an item on almost every list of Golfweek’s best apparel for 2023 including golf shirts, golf pants, golf shoes, golf belts and more, it’s no surprise that the company is expanding.
The collection makes a case for the emergence of an “active lifestyle” category — not quite activewear and not quite athleisure — as a fun way for younger shoppers to try out the golf or tennis look without breaking the bank on serious technical wear or the less fashion-forward standbys.
John Mallinger essentially retired from professional golf when the golf apparel company he co-founded was sold.
John Mallinger was competing in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae on Aug. 3, 2017, when he couldn’t resist checking his phone.
It was the middle of a competitive round, but there it was, a text from the CEO of TravisMathew confirming that the apparel company he co-founded had been sold to Callaway Golf for the princely sum of $125.5 million. Mallinger read the rest of the message, which said, “Come meet us in Lake Tahoe. We’re going to celebrate!” Without giving it a second thought Mallinger did something he’d never done before: he withdrew on the spot claiming a sore back.
Mallinger, who competed in 187 PGA Tour events, recording a pair of seconds and winning nearly $7 million in earnings, essentially retired from professional golf that day. (He did play in the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Pro-Am in 2018 and 2019 and made one PGA Tour start at the 2018 Farmers Insurance Open, and has played in the unofficial Pebble Beach Invitational, which he won in 2010.) In the ensuing five years since striking it rich, Mallinger, 43, has passed the time coaching his two sons in baseball and enjoying a regular golf game at his club, but what he’s most proud of is The Give, a charity golf tournament being held for the fourth time on Monday, which has allowed him to give back in ways he never imagined when he was scratching out a living on golf’s mini tours.
John Mallinger at his charity golf tournament, The Give, includes live music at the pre- and post-round festivities. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)
Mallinger grew up in San Diego, where he learned to play golf thanks to his older brother, Joe. In 1997, he joined the Long Beach State men’s golf team, which practiced at Virginia Country Club, an A.W. Tillinghast and William P. Bell design that has stood the test of time.
Mallinger turned pro in 2000, and quickly burned through the money his parents gave him to chase his dream of playing professionally. Mallinger said he was on the verge of quitting, but then Jamie Mulligan, Virginia’s pro and the 2021 PGA of America Teacher and Coach of the Year, breathed new life into Mallinger’s playing career.
“We had one good week together,” Mallinger recalled. “I played the Long Beach Open and finished second. I won $15,000. I thought I was rich. He definitely kick-started my career. Because of him and Virginia, they let me practice and play and do whatever I needed to do to get better.”
Another “life changer” for Mallinger was meeting John Kruger, who was looking for a partner to sponsor in the 2003 Big Stakes Match Play in Las Vegas. Mallinger had no status at the time, one of the criteria to enter the 64 teams of two golfers, who each put up $100,000 and played a four-ball match-play single-elimination tournament. Mallinger and his partner advanced far enough to break even, and he said his share felt like a fortune. More importantly, Kruger came away impressed with Mallinger’s game and offered to sponsor him.
“I didn’t have to pay anything back. He just wanted me to go and do Monday qualifiers,” Mallinger said.
John Mallinger during the 2010 Turning Stone Resort Championship at Atunyote Golf Club.
That plan worked to perfection as he ended up getting through in nine out of 11 Mondays on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour, earning the nickname “Monday Mally” as well as conditional status. Along the way, he played on seven different tours in 2006: the Canadian Tour, the Golden State Tour, the Tarheel Tour, the Nationwide Tour, the PGA Tour, the Adams Tour and the Hooters Tour. He earned his PGA Tour card at Q-School with Kruger in his gallery.
“Nothing would have happened without this guy inspiring confidence in me and his financial backing,” Mallinger said. “He kind of gave me a free pass and it was life-changing. Once I got on Tour, he said, ‘Well, you know, you’re financially good now. I want to do something different.’ He kind of just asked me like, ‘Is there anybody else that you can think of that I could sponsor in the same situation,” and I was like, ‘Well, my roommate Travis Johnson is done playing golf but he wants to start a clothing brand, where you wear a golf shirt to the golf course and then go to a bar.”
Kruger was intrigued enough to meet with Mallinger and Johnson, who played golf at UCLA, at a Claim Jumper restaurant in Long Beach. Johnson sketched out his concept on a napkin for a golf apparel company that would change business casual forever. Kruger became the original investor in TravisMathew – the latter being Johnson’s middle name – and Mallinger, who was 27 and single, ponied up what he said amounted to a third of what he had to his name.
“I never bet that much again,” he said.
John Mallinger with his family at The Give, the charity golf tournament he hosts to support golf in Long Beach, California. (Courtesy John Mallinger)
Mallinger finished runner-up to Brandt Snedeker for PGA Tour Rookie of the year honors in 2007, and early on was the face of TravisMathew, recruiting other pros to wear the brand.
“Over the 10 years, I think we had 23 wins, which was pretty phenomenal for us and obviously having Bubba Watson win the (2012) Masters was huge,” he said.
The success of TravisMathew and the sale to Callaway has allowed Mallinger to enjoy a second act in life.
“I did the PGA Tour grind, the third week in a row on the road and now I get to do this side of life,” he said. “I completely miss golf but at the same time I don’t because I know what it takes to get to that top level and there’s a lot of selfishness that comes with that.
“Everyone says what are you trying to do now? I’m not trying to do anything. I’m trying to enhance everything I have. I get to coach my two boys a lot. Would I like to have Charles Howell III career? Yes, he’s made $35 million but I don’t think he gets to do a lot of things I get to do. Sure, he gets to do things on the golf course that I can’t do but I did experience that. Everyone is like go back and play, and I may try the Senior Tour someday, but I say, ‘Guys, it’s not like that. It takes so much, especially given my talent level was low. I played on mental strength, I’d say.’”
John Mallinger (center) with Joel Dahmen (left) and Harry Higgs at The Give at Virginia Country Club in February 2022. (Photo: Adam Schupak/Golfweek)
When someone retires at Mallinger’s age, the question is what’s next? In addition to focusing on raising his sons with his wife, he wondered, “How can I give back?” He decided to devote a sizable portion of his retirement to doing just that. He created the John Mallinger Foundation and a golf tournament fittingly enough at Virginia Country Club, where he’s now a full-fledged member and has a regular group that he plays with twice a week.
In the first three years, it has brought together the likes of Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay and Joel Dahmen. Several of the pros expected to play Monday such as Charley Hoffman, will jet over from Phoenix and give their time for a good cause before teeing it up at Riviera. Old pals such as Peter Tomasulo, Matt Every and Bill Lund will be there too along with celebs such Oliver Hudson and tennis star Mardy Fish. There’s a closest-to-the-pin shootout that is more of a comedy act with Mulligan as emcee and presents a chance for Mallinger to be roasted by his pals.
It’s a low-key party with live music, great eats – Cantlay suggests trying the carne asada tacos on the course – and TravisMathew gear among the goodies for participants. Last year, the tournament surpassed $1 million in charitable giving.
“We want to use golf as a platform and bring everything back to Long Beach,” said Mallinger.
That includes funding Southern California junior golf, all the men’s and women’s high school golf teams in Long Beach, and contributing to the SCPGA Foundation, which helped fund 10 scholarships. Mallinger hopes to create a scholarship at his alma mater, Long Beach State, and envisions a day when one of the participants playing high school golf will earn the scholarship to his alma mater.
Mallinger has experienced the best of both worlds, and it’s not a bad life when you can give back at The Give.
Valentine’s Day is Feb. 14, and coming soon. With that in mind, Golfweek has put together a list of fun and stylish Valentine’s Day gifts to make sure that your significant other is equally infatuated with you and the game.
If you are trying to get a loved one more involved in the sport, this is a great place to start. What a better way to get someone going than with a new polo, a cute skort or a new golf club to complement her new addiction.
If you’d like something more golf-adjacent, check out the brand new Golfweek Wine Club for exclusive access to rare, limited-availability wines that are hand-picked by top sommeliers, then shipped directly to your doorstep.
