“Truly helping me get through this tough time” – When Tiger Woods was moved by fans wearing his iconic red at the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship
Tiger Woods suffered a scary car crash in February of 2021. The ace golfer crashed his SUV near the Rolling Hills Estates, just outside of Los Angeles and spent weeks at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The 15-time Major winner came out largely unharmed but had to spend the next couple of years in recovery after nearly losing a leg.
Woods’ fellow competitors and fans were largely affected by the incident. Interestingly, more than a dozen players attended the final round of the 2021 WGC-Workday Championship wearing Woods’ signature red in his honor. While many donned his traditional final-round red shirt and black slacks, a few others scribbled ‘TW’ or ‘TIGER’ on the side of their hats.
Needless to say, the legendary golfer was moved by the “touching” gesture and expressed his gratitude to his co-stars for the same. Woods said that the action was “truly helping” him get through the tough time.
Tiger Woods wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
“It is hard to explain how touching today was when I turned on the tv and saw all the red shirts. To every golfer and every fan, you are truly helping me get through this tough time.”
It is pertinent to note that Tiger Woods had stated that he was in “good spirits” while in Los Angeles for treatment from multiple injuries at the time. The golfers’ words of gratitude made both fans and players happy.
Notably, WGC-Workday Championship winner Collin Morikawa didn’t wear red. The golfer later revealed that he too had planned to wear a red shirt on Sunday. However, the shipment from Adidas carrying the shirt got stuck on its way. He decided to settle for just the black pants.
Morikawa also noted that he planned to “go out and play like Tiger would” to honor the ace golfer.
Tiger Woods and Nike end their iconic partnership
Woods will no longer wear the iconic red Nike shirt on Sundays. The golfer on Monday (January 8) announced that he was parting ways with the company after 27 years together. Notably, Nike has been working with Woods since he turned pro in 1996.
Tiger Woods said in a statement:
"Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world. The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever.
"Phil Knight's passion and vision brough this Nike and Nike Golf partnership together and I want to personally thank him, along with the Nike employees and incredible athletes I have had the pleasure of working with along the way. People will ask if there is another chapter. Yes, there will certainly be another chapter. See you in LA!"
Having parted ways with Nike, Woods doesn’t have an apparel sponsor at the moment. It’ll be interesting to see what his future looks like in terms of a new sponsor.