Nike is still widely expected to announce its sponsorship of Rory McIlory, the world's current top-ranked golf champion, at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Jan. 14. As previously reported, Oakley is challenging the deal with the Irish player, which is said to be worth $250 million. However, a spokesperson for Oakley said her company will do all it can to retain him, pointing out that its contract with the champion, which ended last Dec. 31, gives it a right of first refusal on its extension, provided it can match a rival offer covering its products.
Meanwhile, the Swoosh has announced in the last couple of weeks that it's going to be exclusively endorsed by two more American PGA Tour players and by a European champion from head to toe and for most of their equipment, including the brand's new high-speed cavity-back drivers and irons.
Nike's latest announcement concerns a 23-year-old Danish athlete, Thorbjørn Olesen, who previously wore Galvin Green clothing and Ecco shoes, and who got his equipment from Srixon. He will be making his debut as a Nike Golf athlete at the Volvo Golf Champions organized by the European Tour in South Africa from next Thursday. A European PGA professional since 2008, he finished third in the 2010 European Challenge Tour and won the 2012 Sicilian Open. He finished 15th in the 2012 Race to Dubai. Nike points out that Olesen is a football fan and that he follows both the FC Copenhagen and Manchester United teams.
One of the two new American golf players on Nike's roster, Nick Watney, has been a tour professional for 10 years, with seven global victories under his belt. The 31-year-old American player had contracts with Ashworth, FootJoy and Titleist. He is currently ranked as the world's 20th best golfer. The other new member of the Nike Golf Tour Staff is Kyle Stanley, 25, who has obtained four finishes among the top 10 since he joined the PGA Tour in 2011. FootJoy and Titleist were among his previous sponsors. Both Watney and Stanley made their debuts as Nike athletes at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii this week.
For its part, Oakley announced sponsorships with two winners of Masters tournaments in the U.S. in the past couple of weeks. Analysts believe that it struck the two deals to offset the likely loss of Rory McIlroy, who is said to be switching to Nike. Both are going to wear the company's high-performance golf apparel.
One of Oakley's two new endorsers on the green is Zach Johnson, who won the Masters tournament in 2007. Born in the state of Iowa in February 1976, Johnson took up golf at the age of 10 and turned pro in 1998. He joined the PGA Tour in 2004 after earning the titles of Leading Money Winner and Player of the Year in 2003. He ended up among the top 10 finishers at major championships in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Oakley has also reported the addition of the 2012 Masters winner, Bubba Watson, to its team of professional golfers. He is one of the few left-handers on the PGA Tour. Born in Florida 34 years ago, Watson joined the PGA Tour in 2001 and scored his first two victories on the circuit in 2010 and 2011. He was previously sponsored by a less-known American brand of golf clothing, Travis Mathew.
