We all know adidas AG has put TaylorMade Golf, Adams Golf, Ashworth, Yes and pretty much its entire golf portfolio up for sale. We at Golf News Net also know adidas is close to identifying a TaylorMade buyer, and we've been told that a pair of American private equity groups are among the finalists.
On Thursday, however, a rumor that we hadn't heard made us consider an amazing possibility. Rick Young of Score Golf in Canada (and previous co-host of our "Gear Effects" podcast) tweeted that Tiger Woods is rumored to be a potential buyer for TaylorMade Golf.
Sitting down? Sources telling me @TigerWoods in serious negotiation to purchase @TaylorMadeGolf from @adidas AG .
— Rick Young (@RickSCOREGolf) September 15, 2016
That's a blockbuster.
Young isn't the kind of reporter who throws things out on Twitter just to get attention. If he's saying it publicly, it's something to be believed. Full stop.
That said, it may not happen. Of course, there is at least one other group interested in acquiring TaylorMade. Another group could offer a better price or better fit to take over TaylorMade.
Even if Woods turns out to not only be a serious bidder but a serious buyer, it's unlikely Woods would be the lone figure purchasing TaylorMade. It would be more likely that Woods would be the public face of a group of investors purchasing the company -- kind of like owners of most sports teams.
Were a Woods-faced and/or -led group to purchase TaylorMade, it would make for a fascinating acquisition, not only because Woods has been with Nike Golf for 18 years but because he is now an equipment free agent. He would naturally play TaylorMade equipment since he, you know, owned the company. The purchase would also be an interesting follow-on to the news that buddy and mentee Jason Day has signed an apparel deal with Nike Golf while remaining a TaylorMade Golf staffer.
Such a purchase would also put Woods in the company of Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, who all started or owned equipment companies at one point (or multiple points) in their careers.
