Tiger Woods back on endorsement track after Australia visit

Australia was very good to Tiger Woods this year. From a third place finish in the Australian Open to helping Team USA with his decisive win at the Presidents Cup, Woods' game has begun to get back on track. Woods may have started off with a whimper during the first and second rounds of the Presidents Cup but he ended off putting with laser accuracy.

Woods admitted that his recovery is part of a process, "It's just a matter of putting it together over a longer period of time."

With the wins also go the spoils of war. Woods, playing and acting more like the Tiger of old, is snaring new endorsement deals. Both Rolex and Fuse Science Inc. have signed agreements with Woods. It has even been acknowledged by Tiger that he owns a stake in the nutrition company. You may remember that Tiger Woods lost many of his sponsorship deals from Tag Heuer to General Motors (Buick) but Nike Golf and EA Sports (among a few) have held on, execs keeping their fingers crossed that Woods will rebound and soar towards breaking Nicklaus' golf record of wins.

Tiger Woods current Official Sponsors.

Although Woods still has a long fairway to walk in order to return to the top-fifty, he is finally starting to see his live in a more positive way. Now openly talking about his injuries and the internal (emotional) setbacks that have sidelined him for more than two years, Tiger seems ready to move forward into the next stage of his life and career.

The next stage in Tiger Woods' career starts with the 2012 golf season. It was announced that, after six wins at Torrey Pines, Woods will open the season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Too bad the tournament director had to learn of Tiger's decision via television. And the question still remains, should the PGA Tour offer appearance fees?

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Tiger Woods wish list for 2011?

Tiger Woods stole 2010 golf headlines not through the "win" column and not through a commitment to being "the best a man can get". Instead, Woods became media fodder by being trounced on the golf course and through an infidelity which rocked the golf world.

Tiger lost his top PGA Tour standing, millions of dollars in endorsements as well as the respect that he used to easily command from fans and the media.

With 2011 just around the corner, many of us participate in the New Year ritual of compiling resolutions to improve upon our weaknesses and enhance our strengths. If Tiger Woods is embarking along the same journey, perhaps he is starting with these few declarations.

A new and improved golf swing. As Tiger Woods says in his blog, Sean Foley is helping to rebuild his golf swing but, "It just takes time to build. You just have to go piece by piece. Before, I couldn't even do it on the driving range and now I can. Now, after working with Sean Foley, I can do it on the golf course sporadically, then it becomes more consistent. Eventually, it becomes a full 18 holes and beyond that, a full tournament."

Not only will it take a new golf swing for Woods to be successful but also a renewed mental toughness which Tiger has shown in the past.

Win a tournament in 2011. Breaking the ice and being in the winner's circle again will change the entire world of Tiger Woods. Fans love a winner and are very forgiving when their idols make dramatic comebacks! In the case of Tiger Woods, even a single win will give TW the confidence he needs to move forward and turn 2010 into a distant memory.

Break Jack Nicklaus' record.   Although Woods would need a grand slam in 2011 in order to break Jack Nicklaus' major wins record, Tiger Woods is only a breath away from leading the all-time list of PGA Tour wins.

Career wins on PGA Tour: 73 - Nicklaus, 71 for Tiger Woods
Major Tournaments won:   18 - Nicklaus, 14 for Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods won the 2008 U.S. Open hobbling around the course on injured knee: it stands to reason that his mental game is only bruised, not beaten.

New endorsement deals. Tiger Woods' recent loss of his Gillette endorsement brings the total number of advertisers who nixed the golfer to four for 2010. Although IMG Worldwide made light of the loss by saying that "Gillette is ending their 'Champions' campaign. That is the reason for not continuing," it still is a blow to the Woods camp.

On the flip side, don't feel too bad for Woods. According to CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell, if all deals remain the same, Tiger Woods' earnings should stand at about $55 to $60 million!

Renewed respect for a fallen hero?: Once revered by millions of fans for his quiet, ethical demeanor, Tiger Woods' fall from grace was the single most publicized golf event of 2010. With a televised apology and numerous connections with fans over the course of the past few months through Twitter and blogging, Tiger is desperately trying to show fans that he really is a good guy who made mistakes.


Forgive? Forget? How about golf news stories that don't involve Tiger Woods' personal life? Would interest in golf wane without all the fodder?


To be on top of the PGA Tour standings and perhaps PGA Tour golfer of the year once again. Becoming top golfer in the world would probably help to achieve all of the above wishes for Tiger Woods. He would regain the respect of fans, the media and the bevy of other golfers on tour who believe that Woods is now beat-able.



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