Tiger Woods' IMG agent Mark Steinberg "really hates"
the Mercedes Championships' weekly ad in Golf World
"congratulating" Woods for "making it into" next year's
Mercedes field, according to Thomas Bonk of the L.A. TIMES.
Woods currently has an endorsement deal with GM's Buick
brand, and Steinberg, who has "seen Woods' face used three
times" this year in the Mercedes ad, "has been upset enough
to discuss the issue" with PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem
(L.A. TIMES, 3/24). ESPN's Bob Stevens reported that with
Michael Jordan's announcement that he is exiting the product
endorsement business, "Left unsaid was the fact that the
sports endorsing torch actually passed to fellow Nike
salesman Tiger Woods last year" ("Sports Weekly," 3/26).
OAKLEY'S AMBUSH? In Jacksonville, Justin Barney writes
that while Lantis "may be listed as the 'official' eyewear"
of the PGA Tour, the "most popular glass" at this past
weekend's The Players Championship (TPC) at Sawgrass was
"undoubtedly" Oakley. Mark O'Meara, whose golf balls are
branded with an Oakley logo, said, "I was wearing [Oakleys]
before anyone else was wearing them." Oakley spokesperson
Scott Taylor said that he sold "nearly 500" pairs of glasses
over the course of TPC (FLORIDA TIMES-UNION, 3/27).
