Cobra-Puma wants golfer Rickie Fowler to "showcase its newest product," a cap that will bring a "faded look to the PGA Tour," according to Joel Beall of GOLF DIGEST. Fowler, who has "brought the flat-bill to golf, made 'orange' the new 'red,' and has the influence to make high-top shoes seem avant-garde," began wearing the Cobra Golf Tour Fade hat at last weekend's Honda Classic. The panels on the sides and back "allow for stretching and breathability." The hat will "be available starting March 15" (GOLFDIGEST.com, 2/26). Yahoo Sports' Dan Roberts said of Fowler's style, "He’s loud, he’s ‘look-at-me,’ the clothes are there and it’s interesting to see how even the hubbub over when he wore high-tops or when he first started doing the orange Puma pants, that has died down, and it’s because more and more of these guys are doing it now." He added, "You want to get kids and millennials more involved in watching the sport. … He’s a great ambassador for the sport right now, and I think others should take a page from his book. ... Rickie is the future of the sport in terms of the style and panache." Roberts continued, “If I am a sports apparel company, I want Rickie. Jordan (Spieth) might be the best skill-wise, but he is pretty vanilla in terms of branding angle. ... If I want someone who is vibrant and brings attention to the game, brings new fans, I want Rickie" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 3/1).
