Clint Eastwood is starting a new golf apparel company
called Tehama, according to Lynn Henning in GOLFWEEK.
Eastwood will partner in the venture with Sport-Haley
founder Nancy Haley and Mark Werts, owner of CA-based retail
chain American Rag CIE. Men's and women's lines will hit
stores by spring '98, with half of the men's line selling
for $52-66, with higher end clothing for $66-80. The Tehama
line will be available at Nordstrom's, Saks Fifth Avenue and
Neiman-Marcus, as well as "upscale golf shops." Henning
adds that while Eastwood is "clearly the marquee name among
the three, Haley's presence is perhaps more intriguing," as
she took Denver-based Sport-Haley "from a design concept to
a 1990s apparel smash." Ashworth Chair Jerry Montiel:
"Clint, as an American icon, lends a lot of credibility to
the line. ... they have a nice niche opportunity." Tehama
will be based in L.A., with Haley directing design and
marketing from Denver (GOLFWEEK, 6/14).
CHIP SHOTS: Tiger Woods filed a request for a jury
trial and a preliminary injunction against CA-based Roll
Int'l and its division, The Franklin Mint, to stop the
company from "pirating Tiger Woods' name and likeness" in
its "Tiger Woods Eyewitness Commemorative Medal" issued
after Woods won The Masters (IMG)....In Portland, Jeff
Manning reported on the new adidas Golf USA division: "[O]ne
of [President Ric] Long's priorities is to get one of the
tour's up-and-coming youngsters into Adidas gear. He wants
a head-to-toe deal. ... Long said he has initiated talks
with the agent of a promising young pro. He wouldn't name
names" (OREGONIAN, 6/13)....Chris Clark of IMG-Cleveland has
signed on to represent Robert Damron, the leading rookie
money winner on the PGA Tour (GOLFWEEK, 6/14).
