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12th January 2005 01:38 AM
#1
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Justin Leonard Joins Nike Golf Tour Staff.
Justin Leonard Joins Nike Golf Tour Staff
"Passion and innovation - not only two distinct qualities that set Nike Golf apart in the industry, but also the dynamics that have attracted Justin Leonard to join the Tour Staff of one of golf's newest leaders.
Nike Golf is proud to announce that Justin Leonard, a 10-year veteran of the PGA Tour, has joined the Nike Golf Tour Staff. The relationship will be formally announced in a conference call with media at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, today.
"Justin is going to light it up this year, I can just see it in his eyes," said Kel Devlin, Global Sports Marketing Director for Nike Golf. "We ask our players for their input, their help, their opinion so that we can get them what they need to compete at the highest level. Justin feels that we can help him return to prominence. In turn, we take player feedback and develop product that will help the average golfer compete at the highest level. What is nice for us is that Justin has really embraced this concept."
Leonard, the '97 British Open Champion, the '92 U.S. Amateur Champion, and an 8-time winner on the PGA Tour, is making the first manufacturer change of his professional career. A well-known traditionalist and a fiercely loyal competitor, Leonard said he was attracted to the energy and innovation that Nike Golf has been bringing to the sport of golf.
"Just looking at the history of Nike it's all about innovative products that are for athletes. Nike Golf is the same. At Nike, golfers are athletes," said Leonard, who proudly lists the White Rock Marathon ('01) in Dallas among his career accomplishments.
From the debut of the solid-core golf ball with Tiger Woods in 2000 to innovations such as Air CG (center of gravity) introduced with the Slingshot Irons in 2003 and the next-generation titanium, NexTi, introduced with the Nike Ignite Driver in 2004, Nike Golf has been leading change not only in equipment but also in footwear and apparel.
"I'd say that Nike really caught my attention when Tiger started playing the [Tour Accuracy] golf ball in 2000, and then you had these guys that you knew had played one ball or another for a very long time all of the sudden started playing Nike balls," said Leonard at a recent photo and commercial shoot for Nike Golf in Las Vegas. Leonard will begin appearing in commercials for Nike Golf almost immediately.
"I would say in the last two years the [Nike] equipment has really surpassed anything I had believed Nike could do. It really passed anything I thought that any company could do. And I'm just delving into it. I know that Tom Stites [Director of Product Creation] designed a couple sets of my irons years ago and for him to be at Nike with that kind of technical thinking and always trying to push the envelope on 'let's make this better' and thinking more outside the box, you know, that's an environment he's going to thrive in and he's going to come up with some amazing products."
Leonard has entered an exclusive multi-year relationship with Nike Golf that includes clubs, ball, glove, bag, footwear, apparel, headwear, and accessories. He will reconnect with Nike Golf's lead club engineer Tom Stites, who used to develop new equipment for Leonard's previous endorser.
The Buick Invitational is expected to be Leonard's first PGA Tour start of 2005. He will be carrying Nike Golf's 410cc Ignite Driver, Nike's Forged Blade Irons, Forged Pro Combo Wedges and playing the successful Nike One Black golf ball. In addition to making the switch to Nike Golf's technical and stylish apparel, he has also met with Nike Vision representatives and is expected to be in new eyewear early in the year.
One area of equipment that will not change for Leonard is his footwear. Ironically, Leonard had forgone a competitive contract and earnings in order to wear Nike Golf footwear for the past three years. He will continue to wear designs from Nike Golf's Sport Performance line - athletically engineered golf shoes that combine unequaled comfort with classic style.
"I used to go through a lot of band-aids," admitted Leonard. "I could tell you where to find band-aids in any pharmacy at a Tour stop and what kinds they had. I was wearing Nike running shoes at the time, so I got a couple pairs of their golf shoes to try out and my band-aid knowledge instantly decreased. I had a couple of companies contact me about wearing their shoes and getting paid to do it, but I wasn't willing to give up that comfort. To be able to put on a pair of shoes out of the box and not worry about [discomfort] was more than worth the money that I was passing up to wear other companies' shoes."
Leonard is looking to Nike Golf to help him regain his position among the top players in the world. He was a perennial fixture at the year-end Tour Championship, competing there nine straight seasons and tied with Vijay Singh for the longest streak until 2004 when he failed to qualify. Currently ranked 39th in the world, Leonard is excited for a new beginning with Nike Golf in 2005.
"At 32 I'm just getting into my peak years," said Leonard. "And with the help of Nike Golf I'm going to be able to achieve my maximum potential in these next few years.""
Source:
Nike Golf
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12th January 2005 07:45 AM
#2
Nike have picked up a lot of players in the off season.
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12th January 2005 01:16 PM
#3
Senior Member
Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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12th January 2005 02:50 PM
#4
Senior Member
Touring Pro (PGA)
Originally Posted by
jarro
hope this doesn't turn out to be a cash grab
You'd think he might have seen what happened to Mickelson's game of late .. and had second thoughts
Ummm Boost, you do realise that Phil shot a 59 in the PGA Grand Slam with the Callaway's???
RIP -
Duncan Bennett & Leon Treadwell
Unitlink
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12th January 2005 03:02 PM
#5
Senior Member
Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
Originally Posted by
Iain
Originally Posted by
jarro
hope this doesn't turn out to be a cash grab
You'd think he might have seen what happened to Mickelson's game of late .. and had second thoughts
Ummm
Boost, you do realise that Phil shot a 59 in the PGA Grand Slam with the Callaway's???
what's he done since bugger all i'd say,probably sitting around counting all the money he made on the deal while his golf game goes down the toilet.
Originally Posted by sms316
Without rules there is anarchy.
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12th January 2005 03:09 PM
#6
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
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12th January 2005 03:19 PM
#7
Senior Member
Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
Originally Posted by
Trung
Jarro,
PGA Grand Slam was his last tournament for the year.
We will have to wait and see for 2005
we certainly will.
I just find it hard to work out why the guy would want to change club manufacturers after the year he had in 2004
Originally Posted by sms316
Without rules there is anarchy.
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12th January 2005 05:48 PM
#8
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
He changed coz he got greedy and demanded more money from Titty and they told him to make and make love to himself thats why!!
I really like Phil and was stoked that he won the Masters but every time i see a replay of the way he celebrated (star jump and a pussy like woohoo), it just confirms that the guy is a twat and has no frikkin charisma - hmmm I think I have just been a hypochrite (is that how you spell it - please forgive me I AM spanish)
http://i.imgur.com/faaHHg2.jpg[/img
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31st January 2005 11:51 PM
#9
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Well I just heard on Sports Tonight that Justin Leonard won the Bob Hope Crysler Classic. Apparently it has been his first win in over two years. I can see how signing with a company that makes 'inferior equipment' has been disasterous for his game.
Kind regards,
Ben (Ducky).
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1st February 2005 05:53 AM
#10
Senior Member
Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
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1st February 2005 08:07 AM
#11
Senior Member
Golf Hall of Fame Inductee
Originally Posted by
jarro
wonder exactly how much a part his new gear had to play in his win
.. or if it was just his "time".
wash your mouth out Jarro, it was his time !!!!! :P :P Maybe it's time to Ho an Ignite ???
2 starts this year, 2 wins for Nike, be interesting though to find out exactly what has changed in his bag. Duckster, you onto that ?????
Pete
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1st February 2005 09:19 AM
#12
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Duckster found out about JL's victory almost 24 hours after the conclusion on the tournament.
Maybe 2 months to find out whats in JL's bag.
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1st February 2005 10:39 AM
#13
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
the fact that JL won with a new driver (the Ignite ROCKS), new irons, and new ball, a month into the season is a HUGE bonus for Nike...
still has his SC putter tho....and that's where he won this tourney....
My PGC Handicap
WITB Sept 2010
Currently Undecided: Ping G10 or BStone J33R
Currently Undecided: Cally Fusion 3W or Cally Steelhead III 3+W or Titleist 904F
Currently Undecided: King Cobra 2300IM or Cally X20 Tour
Switch BTW: TM RAC 52/58 & Cleve RTG 53/58
Wilson TPA Blade
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1st February 2005 03:05 PM
#14
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Pfft, as if short game is what wins the tournaments...
:P
Kind regards,
Ben (Ducky).
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1st February 2005 03:11 PM
#15
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Oh by the way, here is an article that talks about what equipment/apparel Justin Leonard is using. Here is a summary:
"The Buick Invitational is expected to be Leonard's first PGA Tour start of 2005. Nike Golf said he will be carrying Nike Golf's 410cc Ignite Driver, Nike's Forged Blade Irons, Forged Pro Combo Wedges and playing the One Black golf ball. In addition to making the switch to Nike Golf's equipment and apparel, Leonard is expected to sport some new Nike eyewear later this year."
Kind regards,
Ben (Ducky).
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1st February 2005 06:23 PM
#16
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
sure looked like adidas shoes....
My PGC Handicap
WITB Sept 2010
Currently Undecided: Ping G10 or BStone J33R
Currently Undecided: Cally Fusion 3W or Cally Steelhead III 3+W or Titleist 904F
Currently Undecided: King Cobra 2300IM or Cally X20 Tour
Switch BTW: TM RAC 52/58 & Cleve RTG 53/58
Wilson TPA Blade
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