We'll charitably call Nike's new Rory McIlroy commercial an "homage" to Tiger Woods bouncing a ball off his wedge in Nike's famous 1999 commercial. The video features McIlroy's Nike stablemates Kyle Stanley, Nick Watney, Suzann Pettersen and Paul Casey, but not Woods, whose absence is conspicuous. Take a look:
Now watch Tiger's 1999 Nike commercial, aka, the greatest sports commercial ever:
Tiger Woods skateboarding? Not this time. But Woods does have a celebrity cameo in professional skateboarder Eric Koston's new Nike commerical. He's pretty funny too. Check it out:
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Dick's Sporting Goods gets a new employee in Tiger Woods's latest Nike Golf commerical:
Not bad, but it can't top our favorite Dick's Sporting Goods video:
Bubba Watson has never been one to sweat equipment changes. So it's not surprising that he isn't concerned about a certain peer who has struggled of late after a notable gear switch.
"I think Rory is going to be No. 1 for a while," Waston said of Rory McIlroy during a Wednesday teleconference hyping Watson's upcoming Masters title defense
"Think about it, we change equipment every year," he said. "We have a new driver come out from Ping, you have a new 3-wood, you have new irons, you have a new golf ball. It might be the same company but it's all new. You've got new golf shoes coming out, so they feel different on your feet. You've got all these new things coming out, so I don't see [switching] as that big of a change."
But there is one thing that does bother Bubba: "I think the biggest change in changing a product would be the logo... I'm a feel player. When something is changed like that, I know it."
Watson added that a couple poor results here and there isn't cause for hitting the panic button, either -- especially if one of those results comes in match play.
"There's nobody in the history of the game that's been 100 percent on making cuts, so Rory missed the first cut... That's why I think match play is such a goofy tournament anyway. [Losing in] the first round [as McIlroy did last week], I don't see that shows us anything. And a missed cut is a missed cut; everybody going to do it. No matter how many times you try, you can't make every cut."
McIlroy will defend his title at the Honda Classic starting Thursday, a tournament he won last year playing clubs with noticeably different logos.Watson, meanwhile, won't be there with him. He's got a birthday party to host on Saturday. His son Caleb just turned one.
Tiger Woods builds on the comic touch he showed in his recent Nike commerical with Rory McIlroy in this new commecial for Nike's VR_S Covert driver titled "Apologies."
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English teaching pro Mark Crossfield, known online as "The Golf Guru," posted a parody of Nike's new Tiger Woods-Rory McIlroy commercial on his YouTube channel. Pretty funny stuff. Watch the parody, the Nike ad, and the old McDonald's ad that inspired them below:
Here's the original:
And the one that started it all:
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy during a photo appearance in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are friends, sometime opponents, and now colleagues on the Nike Golf Staff, but they don't have a rivalry, not yet anyway, according to Woods.
At his press conference for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship on Tuesday, Woods said he agreed with McIlroy that the two have not faced off enough to create a true rivalry.
"It would be very similar to saying that I had a rivalry with Phil two years into my career," Woods said. "That wasn't the case."
So whom does Woods consider his rivals? Vijay Singh and Ernie Els.
"I've gone head-to-head against I think Ernie and Vijay the most over the course of my career," Woods said. "It takes time."
But if the clashes between him and McIlroy last year at the Honda Classic and the BMW Championship (both won by McIlroy) don't constitute a rivalry, Woods said it has been the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
"We've just had a good time, certainly give each other the needle quite a bit," Woods said. "That's always fun. And that's about it, and as far as advice or anything like that, no. He's got a great head on his shoulders and really understands, so if he ever needs any advice, then certainly he's more than -- he knows I'm open to it. I think our friendship certainly is growing and it's been fun."
Woods also fielded several questions about McIlroy's move to Nike. When asked if he was involved in bringing McIlroy onto the staff, Woods said: "No, that's his decision. He's a big boy. He can figure it out on his own." Asked if they'd be practicing together more in the Palm Beach area, where they both live, Woods said: "He does play out there at The Bear's Club, and I play up at Medalist quite a bit. Maybe he'll come up or I'll go down there ...I'm sure we'll have a few dinners together and certainly hang out a bit more."
It's clear that Woods sees a lot of himself in the 23-year-old McIlroy, especially the growing pains of experiencing phenomenal success at a young age. Sometimes, Woods sounds like he's talking about his younger self when he talks about McIlroy.
"It's tough sometimes, it really is," Woods said. "When you have success, there are more responsibilities that are at a tournament site and more distractions that are at a tournament site that are taking you away from what you like to do, which is compete and play.
"That's something that certainly he has learned and he's figured out and I think that was a big adjustment that he made this past summer, and consequently, he had a huge end of the year," Woods continued. "I think that was a good sign."
Talking about McIlroy even got Woods to engage in a little psychoanalysis, surely a press conference first for him.
Q. Just back to that chemistry between you and Rory, we have always had this perception of you as a guy who leaves nothing to chance, and we have seen Rory very laid back, almost missed his Ryder Cup time, wondering if you've been in that similar position ... is that what helps your friendship?
TIGER WOODS: You know, I'd be psychoanalyzing that a little bit, but --
Q. Go ahead.
TIGER WOODS: I like Rory as a person. He's a really nice kid. I think all of you guys are aware of that.
As far as being in a position like that, that he experienced at The Ryder Cup, I missed a tee time in a junior event, and I called in for my tee time, it was a two-day event and I called it in and I said, "Woods." And they gave me my tee time. Evidently, there was another Woods playing, as well. Actually it was Steve Woods. He played at San Jose State, but he was in the event, as well, and they gave me his time.
So I missed my tee time. I showed up at his time, and that was the only time I have ever been in a situation like, that and I vowed it would never happen again, because that was a pretty empty feeling knowing that all I had to do was give a little bit more detail, my first name, and all I had to do was -- it cost me a chance of winning a golf tournament, and that's I pretty empty feeling.
Last year, both Woods and McIlroy were in contention on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, but like what often happens when Woods and Mickelson are near the top of the leaderboard at the same event, someone else won (Robert Rock). However, Woods turned this solid beginning last year into a three-win season. He said he's hoping to do the same here and at Torrey Pines next week.
"As far as any statement, I just want to get off to a good start," Woods said. "I think it's important that I get off to a good, solid start. I'm playing two weeks in a row, and I had a nice break and have geared up for these two weeks and have tried to get mentally and physically ready for these two tournaments."
Epic entrance. Epic athlete. Let's do this @mcilroyrory #TeamNike twitter.com/nikegolf/statu…
— Nike Golf (@nikegolf) January 14, 2013
So pumped to officially be a Nike athlete!!! Can't wait to do many great things in the SWOOSH! @nikegolf
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) January 14, 2013
This @mcilroyrory presser is like "Hello World" all over again, only the world already knows Rory. #Nike does everything big!
— Paul Azinger (@PaulAzinger) January 14, 2013
Who cares what Faldo has to say about Rory making a change. Good for you Rory. Nike is the best to be associated with. #athletefirst
— David Duval (@david59duval) January 14, 2013
With the European Ryder Cup captain announcement coming Tuesday, golfers voiced their opinions about who they want to get the job:My opinion is that Rory will only improve his distance control with new ball/irons. But what do I know...
— Francesco Molinari (@F_Molinari) January 14, 2013
Darren has taken his name out of the running for Ryder cup captaincy. It would be fantastic to have Paul Mcginley as the 2014 captain.
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) January 14, 2013
RC captaincy should be a 1 time thing... Everybody deserving gets their chance and moves on... Would love to play under Paul McGinley in '14
— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) January 13, 2013
Ryder Cup captain being picked tomorrow here in Abu dhabi. On a personal note idlove to see Paul Mcginley get it.
— Shane Lowry (@shanelowrygolf) January 14, 2013
PGA Tour rookie Russell Henley won the Sony Open:I hope Paul McGinley gets his chance, he's been an amazing Vice Captain and deserves an opportunity #2014RyderCup
— Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) January 14, 2013
In complete shock, thanks everyone for the nice texts and tweets twitter.com/russhenleygolf…
— Russell Henley (@russhenleygolf) January 14, 2013
Congratulations @russhenleygolf on your fantastic first victory on the @pgatour in the @sonyopen in Hawaii. My best throughout the season.
— Gary Player (@garyplayer) January 14, 2013
Golfers watched the first round of the NFL playoffs:Wow.. Henley, can I have a puttinglesson?! #whataclutchputter
— Anna Nordqvist (@ANordqvist) January 14, 2013
#49ers #BeatThePackers twitter.com/ThePCreamer/st…
— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) January 13, 2013
If ur out watching #Sony today. Just yell out the #patriots score!! Please!! Go pats give @danny__woodhead the ball see what he does with it
— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) January 13, 2013
What a crazy game this is. I took Atlanta -2. Need this field goal to push my bet.
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) January 13, 2013
Wow watching falcons is hard work, I am worn out! What a game!!
— Davis Love III (@Love3d) January 13, 2013
On Monday, Nike announced a new endorsement deal with Rory McIlroy, and as part of the presentation, the company revealed McIlroy's first television ad with Tiger Woods. Here it is:
PHOTOS: McIlroy's 2012 season | Career in photos
SPECIAL SECTION: Rory McIlroy homepage
Rory McIlroy is set to start his first tournament of 2013 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship this week, but the much bigger beginning for the world's No. 1 player will be his debut with a new equipment sponsor.
Rumors have been flying this offseason about McIlroy's next move, and all signs point to a massive new deal with Nike. McIlroy parted ways with Titleist and the Jumeirah hotel group, and another former sponsor, Oakley, is suing McIlroy and Nike. Some reports have estimated the deal to be worth as much as $250 million over 10 years, but the terms of the deal are not expected to be announced.
Photos also surfaced last week of Nike clubs with "RORS" stamped on them. They were apparently taken at a course in Dubai, where McIlroy was practicing for this week's tournament. Tiger Woods, who has been the face of Nike Golf since signing with the company in 1996, is also playing in Abu Dhabi this week.
Nike told Golf.com weeks ago that the company was planning a major announcement on Monday in Abu Dhabi, so stay tuned for more reports.
PHOTOS: McIlroy's 2012 season | Career in photos
SHIPNUCK: McIlroy learning about life as golf's most marketable man | Video
SPECIAL SECTION: Rory McIlroy homepage
(Photo: David Cannon / Getty Images)
