Making The Turn: Sabbatini Bolts Nike For Adams Golf
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Sabbatini Switches From Nike
To Adams Golf Equipment |
Adams Golf has signed golfer Rory Sabbatini to an endorsement deal. Sabbatini will wear the Adams Golf hat, carry the Adams Golf staff bag and play the company's a3 irons, Idea Pro hybrid and Insight driver. Adams last week signed golfer Aaron Baddeley and also sponsors golfers Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer (Adams Golf). Sabbatini had previously endorsed Nike, but Nike and Adams Golf indicated that there is "no connection" between his switch to Adams and his withdrawal from Tiger Woods' Target World Challenge in December. Adams Golf CEO Chip Brewer said, "We had been negotiating with Rory and his agent before the Target. Rory had an attractive offer from Nike, but he chose us because he likes our product." USA TODAY's Jerry Potter writes Sabbatini is "best known for his competitive attitude toward Woods. He has never beaten Woods head-to-head, but he has said repeatedly that golf's No. 1 player can be beaten." Sabbatini's agent, Bud Martin of SFX World Sports Management, "has a long friendship with Brewer," as the two played golf together for Duke Univ. from '79-83 (USA TODAY, 1/8). Golf World’s Tim Rosaforte added, “My sources at Nike said Tiger had absolutely nothing to do with (Sabbatini's withdrawal from the Target), that they simply decided to go in another direction, thus opening the door for Rory to negotiate with Adams” (“Golf Central,” Golf Channel, 1/7).
L'EI IT ON 'EM: Rosaforte also reported that “despite not making a cut since last year’s Sony Open, sponsorship dollars are starting to come in for Hawaii’s Tadd Fujikawa.” Rosaforte: “This is not like the selling of Michelle Wie, but his agent, Kevin Bell, has been able to work out deals with Aloha Petroleum, Kraft Foods and two Hawaiian-based companies ... to bring in money that will allow Fujikawa to pursue his pro career” (Golf Channel, 1/7).
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