NEWS FROM THE TOUR VANS
BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOLF PRIDE, THE #1 GRIP ON TOUR
Tiger Woods resurfaced last week for the first time in 2024, and, as always, the 15-time major winner made an enormous splash. Tiger 7.0 – or whatever version of the frequently rebuilt 48-year-old golfer he’s on right now – had some new things to show off in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where his role as player/host was abbreviated by illness that forced him to withdraw on Friday.
Last Monday, Woods unveiled his new apparel deal with TaylorMade. While the new line replaces his 27-year outfitter Nike, the “Sun Day Red” isn’t changing. Gone is the iconic Swoosh and the familiar “TW” logo, with the new brand incorporating a crudely rendered 15-striped (for 15 majors) jumping tiger.
“I don't want it back, I've moved on," Woods said of the "TW" logo. "This is a transition in my life. I've moved on to Sun Day Red and we're looking forward to building a brand that elicits excitement and is transformative."
Another significant new piece of gear in Tiger’s arsenal is his golf ball. The Genesis marked the first competitive occasion Woods used the 2024 Bridgestone Tour B X ball following extensive testing at his home simulator after playing the Hero World Challenge and PNC Championship near the end of 2023.
“I am always seeking more distance off the tee and more control around the green. That’s the Holy Grail and what Bridgestone’s delivered with the new Tour B X,” Woods said in a statement released by Bridgestone.
Before 2022, Woods played with Bridgestone’s Tour B XS, a softer ball with more spin. But his home testing revealed Woods was getting nearly 10 additional yards of carry using the firmer Tour B X – essentially one less club to pull on approaches using the three-piece ball built to lower flight and spin. After re-fitting, the 2024 model – with a softer cover and added mid-layer – proved to be the right ball for Woods.
“I tell people all the time how important it is to get ball fit, and if you’ve been fit, to get fit again,” Woods said. “Bridgestone re-fit me into the new Tour B X, and it’s got a little more pop off the tee and the control I need around the greens.”
Woods switched to the Bridgestone ball in 2000 and used a Tour B XS model for more than 20 years. The move into the Tour B X model surprised even Bridgestone.
“When we signed Tiger Woods, there was no way I would have guessed he’d play the Tour B X,” said Elliot Mellow, Bridgestone’s golf ball marketing manager. “But the fact that the cover continues to get softer each generation, now it’s his golf ball. It’s a testament to the work we’ve done on the cover construction.”
Along with his new apparel line – including shoes – Woods will play the TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver that he used at the Hero and PNC in December as well as the Qi10 Tour 3-wood.
"I feel very comfortable with the 3-wood. I had to find the right shaft for it and decided to switch the shafts and go with what I have on my driver," Woods said. "My 5-wood's different – it's old, a little beat up, but it still works. But the 3-wood, I wanted to find something I could draw a little bit better and this one is definitely that."
Scott Michaux