Sun Day Red, Tiger Woods’ New Brand, is Unveiled

Even for people who have only a casual interest in golf, one of the most iconic pictures from the game is of Tiger Woods winning a major tournament while donning a red polo shirt with a white Nike swoosh.

But that image is now firmly in the past. Mr. Woods made the announcement in January that his 27-year contract with Nike, which had brought him hundreds of millions of dollars, was ending. Not to mention the red Nike shirts that Mr. Woods wore during the final rounds, the alliance was characterized by iconic advertisements.

Mr. Woods stated there would “certainly be another chapter” when he revealed the breakup with Nike. He and his new brand sponsor, TaylorMade Golf, made it plain on Monday that a red polo shirt would be part of the next chapter once more. It will be embroidered with Sun Day Red, his new TaylorMade brand, and a tiger in the middle as the emblem.

According to David Abeles, chief executive of TaylorMade, Sun Day Red is positioned as a “lifestyle brand” for both sports enthusiasts and non-athletes. It will feature shoes and clothing, including cashmere jumpers, in an interview. (Mr. Woods moved from Nike to FootJoy shoes following his 2021 vehicle accident.)

Although it was unclear how much design would be included in that clothing, Mr. Abeles stated that “the design language of the products is completely different” from what Mr. Woods wore in his previous sponsorship agreement. The brand’s initial promotional images featured a new logo: a black, long-sleeve T-shirt with Sun Day Red, the brand’s name; a tiger with 15 stripes, representing the number of major championships Mr. Woods has won; and its take on the red polo, which is on the darker end of the red spectrum and has black buttons, suggesting attention to detail. (To be honest, a polo can only be used for so much.)

Red has special meaning in Thailand, where Mr. Woods’ mother is from, which explains his fondness for the color.

“We went over what he thinks is the red that goes best with his color scheme,” Mr. Abeles stated. “He chose the color red because it is the most noticeable and most in line with the color red that he feels has inspired him.”

Regarding the gap between “Sun” and “Day,” Mr. Abeles explained that it was intended to emphasize the brand’s status as more than just a weekly fit.

He remarked, “You know, Tiger has made Sunday red extremely famous on Sundays.” However, Mr. Abeles noted that Mr. Woods “plays golf more than just Sunday.”

Sun Day Red’s goal, if not design, speaks to a growing trend in which sportsmen perceive long-term promise in the growing combination of sports and fashion into a single “lifestyle” category.

Initial promotional images from TaylorMade to promote the new Sun Day Red brand the company is working on with Tiger Woods. Credit…Sun Day Red

Sun Day Red

As a result, a lot of them want more ownership and control over their own brand and are less interested in being walking billboards for sponsors. In 2019, Roger Federer joined the Swiss sneaker firm On as an investor and guest designer. In 2022, Tom Brady launched Brady, a menswear line created in collaboration with Jens Grede, the designer of Kim Kardashian’s Skims. Additionally, Serena Williams owns her own clothing brand, S by Serena.

If Mr. Woods owned stock in the brand, Mr. Abeles would not say.

Within TaylorMade, Sun Day Red will function as a separate brand with a dedicated staff of designers and a separate headquarters. Brad Blankinship, formerly of Quiksilver, has been chosen by the company to manage day-to-day operations.

On May 1, Sun Day Red will launch its products for online purchase, with plans to eventually go global. $115 to $175 will get you a polo shirt, while $250 to $350 will get you a cashmere sweater.

Since Nike closed its equipment business in 2017, Mr. Woods and TaylorMade have an equipment agreement. Over the past few months, the business has approached Mr. Woods about expanding their partnership, according to Mr. Abeles. The TaylorMade team gave Mr. Woods a pitch video that “really connected with his legacy, his greatness, his values, and his future” during one of their visits to his Jupiter, Florida, boardrooms.

Nearly five years after winning his last major tournament, Mr. Woods is now, in many ways, starting a new chapter in his professional life. He became a significant member of the PGA Tour’s board of directors last year, and he has been involved in discussions regarding the tour’s future.

On Monday, while he was in Southern California hosting the Genesis Invitational tournament, Mr. Woods made the announcement about the TaylorMade partnership.

Mr. Woods stated in a statement, “I have a lifetime of experience adjusting my clothes and shoes to help me play better based on its construction. I have learned so much over the years.” I could tell you about things I’ve done over the years that nobody has ever known about. I’m prepared to reveal those secrets to everybody.