On the LPGA Tour, the Nike "swoosh is harder to find
than a good lie in deep rough," writes Amy Nutt in the
current issue of SI WOMEN/SPORT, and the reason, according
to "many" LPGA Tour players, is that Nike "deceived" them.
Following the '95 season, Nike announced it was dropping
approximately one third of its LPGA clients. LPGA player
Martha Nause: "We were told Nike didn't have enough money to
support golf." Then last November, Nike signed 19-year-old,
two-time U.S. Women's Amateur champion Kelli Kuehne, who
will "not qualify for the LPGA Tour until this October at
the earliest," to a reported $1.25M endorsement deal.
LPGA's Beth Daniel: "[T]here used to be a time when it was
the people who did something out here who got he contracts."
NIKE'S RESPONSE: SI WOMEN/SPORT's Nutt writes Nike
claims that "it did not mislead LPGA players and that the
tour figures significantly into its plans." Nike Golf GM
Bob Rief: "We decided to draw back our support of the LPGA
to prioritize men first. But we're not turning our back on
the LPGA. The next marketing opportunity up for us is
women's golf." Nutt notes that of the 150 tour members, 140
are "refusing" to wear any Nike gear. Laura Davies, '96
LPGA Player of the Year: "I don't wear their shoes anymore.
And I never will" (SI WOMEN/SPORT, Spring '97).
FIGHTING THE PAIN: Advil is now the "Official Pain
Reliever of the LPGA," and it will be provided to Tour
players throughout the season, as well as fans through
sampling tents at ten LPGA Tour events (LPGA).
