As first reported by Rick Young at ScoreGolf, Nike Golf has added Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau to its PGA Tour Staff.
Koepka, currently ranked #16 in the world, was previously with Titleist, while Finau (OWGR #88) played with Callaway gear last season.
Koepka isn’t quite the household name Rory McIlroy was when Nike signed him in 2013, but he does have one PGA Tour victory and another on the European Tour to go along with 3 top 10 finishes in Major Championships.
While Koepka is frequently in contention, Finau’s story is one of upside potential. Perhaps best known for his season on The Big Break, he has yet to claim a PGA Tour win, but does have a Web.com Tour victory to go along with a T10 finish in last season’s PGA Championship. If nothing else, he’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
What It Means For Nike Golf
The signings represent a reload of sorts for Nike Golf in what is looking more and more like the post-Tiger era. As we look for Nike to continue to position itself as THE brand for the modern golf athlete, Koepka and Finau are near perfect prototype fits for a new Nike Golf; a company driven by dynamic, young golfers that will help Nike reach a growing demographic of golfers that respect golf’s traditions, but aren’t completely bound by them.
Koepka and Finau, like Wie and McIlroy will be part of Nike Golf’s next generation; elite golfers who, in addition to playing and wearing Nike’s increasingly bolder styles, will help champion Nike’s push to fundamentally shift the game’s culture.
Additional new Nike Golf athletes include:
- Lucas Bjerregaard (Denmark)
- Pan Cheng-tsung (Taiwan)
- Ashley Chesters (England)
- Trevor Cone (US)
- Tim Crouch (US)
- Marcus Kinhult (Sweden)
- Tom Lewis (England)
- Denny McCarthy (US)
- So Hye Park (Korea)
- Hunter Stewart (US)
- Joshua White (US)
- Rumi Yoshiba (Japan)
Longer
8 years ago
Nike needed to get pros in the top ten in driving distance. When Rory gets back up there, Koepka, and Finau, that makes three in the top ten. I’m guessing a move to help driver sales.
Tony Covey
8 years ago
I think winning driving distance is a goal for some OEMs. Certainly if you look at the guys Callaway signed a few years ago that was clearly the goal. With Nike, however, I don’t believe distance factors much into the equation. These signings are really more about building a new golf culture. Young guys who will embrace what Nike sees as new trends that will breakdown some of the game’s barriers.
Longer
8 years ago
I will bet you a round of golf it’s about having two more in the top ten to help driver sales. I don’t know of games barriers.