“No wonder Tiger Woods stepped down” – Fans react to Nike’s latest shoes in collab with Brooks Koepka’s LIV Golf side Smash GC
A couple of days after the end of their association with Tiger Woods, Nike unveiled their new collection for Brooks Koepka's Smash GC ahead of the LIV Golf 2024 season.
A few days ago, Nike faced one of its biggest splits as Woods announced the end of the 27-year-long association. Aussie star Jason Day also ended his deal with the apparel giant and has now signed a multi-year contract with Malbon. However, Nike still boasts some big names, such as Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Koepka.
While Koepka has been associated with the Swoosh since 2016, now his LIV Golf team, Smash GC, will also be sporting the custom shoes designed by the brand. This is the first time Nike has entered into business with the Saudi-backed circuit or any of its teams.
NUCLR Golf, a popular golf tracking handle on X (formerly Twitter), recently posted a picture of the Nike-designed shoe for Smash GC. The shoes are white and blue, with the team's logo imprinted on the side. The Swoosh logo is white, which is not visible at first glance.
The new footwear design for Smash GC didn't receive great reviews from fans. Most were critical of the color choices, and some questioned the choice of the Nike logo color.
Here's a look at some of the reactions on X:
"No wonder Tiger stepped down."
"Went from TW to having the name of fake teams lol."
"Looking good !"
"Not a fan of the swoosh being the same color as the color behind it."
"Should have went with all Carolina Blue."
"With 5,000 followers these Smash shoes could sell literally tens"
"I'm thinking of something that rhymes with smash."
"Pants need to be tailored but the dunks are cool"
"It’s a pretty weak effort. Great shoe. Lazy design. Should have stuck with the team logo in that spot. Maybe smash on the tongue, heal or sole."
"A real fall from grace, just like the stock..."
"Pretty cool. I wonder what RangeGoats will have with Jordan. They seem to wear a lot of it."
"Those would look great on a three year old"
"I wouldn’t wear Nike golf shoes to a dog fight."
"Those would look great on a three year old."
"They appear to be dunks, blue and white, with a Smash logo. Nothing ground breaking…"
"They're great if you're like 12 or 13."
When will Brooks Koepka play next?
Brooks Koepka will next compete at the LIV Golf Mayakoba, which will kick off the new season of the Saudi-backed circuit. The event will take place from February 2 to 4 at the El Camaleón Golf Course in Mayakoba. The event's first edition took place last year, where Charlie Howell III emerged as the winner and Koepka finished T27.
The 33-year-old American golfer had a great season overall as he managed to win two titles in the PIF-sponsored league. He first bagged the Orlando event and then went on to defend his title in Jeddah. Besides, he also registered a solo third-place finish at Singapore and Valderrama.
Koepka also had memorable outings at the Majors, as he first finished runner-up in the Masters Tournament and then went on to win the PGA Championship for the third time in his career. This was his fifth Major win; helping him surpass Rory McIlroy and become the third-highest Major championship winner among active players.