SAN DIEGO _ After months of testing out which golf clubs he will use in 2017, Tiger Woods announced Wednesday that he will play with Carlsbad-based TaylorMade equipment.
Woods tweeted the news: "After several months of testing and all brands to choose from, the choice is clearly (at)TaylorMadeGolf. Proud to join the family!"
TaylorMade said in a news release that the new relationship is part a multi-year contract but no financial details were revealed.
Making his return to the PGA Tour this week, Woods is playing at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open, starting Wednesday with the Pro-Am.
"The signing is a definitive move by the company that reaffirms its ongoing commitment to fielding the strongest Tour staff in the industry and putting the highest performing equipment in the hands of the best players in the world," TaylorMade said in its news release.
Tiger Woods has long been associated with Nike, who just last year announced that it was leaving the golf equipment business. Development and production of Nike golf clubs and Nike golf balls will be shut down, the company said, exiting a field about 18 years after it introduced its first ball and 14 years after it rolled out its first clubs.
Among the top players currently using TaylorMade clubs are Jason Day and Dustin Johnson, who just happen to be paired with Woods for the first two days of the Farmers Insurance Open.
A 14-time major championship winner, Woods will play TaylorMade metal woods, irons and wedges as part of his contract, with specific product models to be determined once an extensive testing process by Woods and TaylorMade concludes.
Said Woods, "Throughout my career, I've always been meticulous about my equipment. Over the past few months, I've had clubs from every brand sent to me to test. When it came to making a final decision, the choice was easy _ it all came down to performance, which is why I chose TaylorMade."
He will also collaborate with TaylorMade's club engineers on the design and development of a new, personalized iron model that will make its debut in Tiger's bag at a future date to be determined.
