Tiger Woods signs his first sponsorship deal after two years
His competitors on the course would love to count him out of the future ventures for the moment, but Tiger Woods’ status as the most celebrated sportsman in the world is far from over.
The 35-year-old champ signed a three-year contract with a Japanese pharmaceutical company “Vantelin Kowa” for one of its pain relieving drug. This has happened for the first time in two years that Woods has signed a new contract with any commercial firm.
The development would come as a welcome change in Woods’ bleak career downslide and will help him relieve the pain of his back to back losses on the course to some extent. The player has not received any respite after his plunge from the summit of the Official
World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and is currently poised at number 17. Woods has remained in the Top 10 of the OWGR for a whole decade.
"When looking for a person for a new TV commercial for the Vantelin Kowa series, Kowa determined that Tiger Woods, with his No. 1 accomplishment as a golfer and his overwhelming presence, matches the promotional direction of the Vantelin Kowa series," the
company said in a press release.
Mark Steinberg, Woods agent, played a phenomenal role in acquiring and settling the modulations for the newly acquired sponsorship. Steinberg was sent packing from IMG a few weeks back after which Woods decided to throw his weight behind his long time associate
and agent and also bid farewell to IMG.
"I'm not looking at this as his first deal, or a second deal," Steinberg said Wednesday. "I look at this as showing he's a global attraction. I expect to have some other announcements by the balance of the year."
The 14-major winner has experienced the worst patch of his career in the last two years after a 15-year stretch of record-thrashing golf around the world. His rankings and performance tumbled to an all time low after his extra marital affairs were exposed
to general public.
Woods has not won a single event for the last two years and many of the sponsorship and lucrative endorsement deals decided to quit on him. The American lost the AT&T, Gatorade, and Accenture deals within months of his revelation about his misdemeanor and
Gillette later decide not to extend the sponsorship to the player.
The 35-year-old is currently battering a left knee injury which he further aggravated at the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass last month and is also suffering from Achilles strain in both legs. He was seen limping of the course at Sawgrass just after
opening nine holes of his first round and has since, decided to take some time away from professional golf.
Woods was seen at Aronimink Golf Club for the AT&T National on the PGA Tour where he is also the host of the tournament, but will not be a part of the field.
Tags: