Daly Signs Lucrative Deal As Comeback Begins
John Daly agreed to a five-year contract to endorse Callaway Golf Co. equipment, less than a month after Wilson Sporting Goods Co. fired the 1995 British Open champion.
Financial terms of the contract with the 31-year-old Daly weren’t disclosed, although company Chairman Ely Callaway said the golfer’s potential earnings are “quite high.”
Daly will return to the PGA Tour this week at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, after a two-month absence that included a stay in the Betty Ford Clinic for treatment of alcoholism. He reportedly damaged a hotel room after a night of drinking and withdrew during the Players Championship in Florida at the end of March.
Rolex signs up Woods
Tiger Woods has carded another endorsement deal.
The luxury watch maker Rolex said Tuesday it signed Woods to a five-year contract under which he will become the global spokesman for its Tudor line of watches and will have a watch named after him.
The privately held Rolex declined to say how much the deal was worth. The trade magazine Brandweek said it was worth up to $7 million including endorsement fees and royalty payments.
The Tudor watches sell for between $900 and $2,200 while the new Tiger models will sell for about $2,000, Bioul said. Tudor watches have been sold since 1930 and sell especially well in Asia. Rolex has been more active promoting the Rolex name with athletes including golfers Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus rather than the Tudor line in the United States.
The Tiger watches are expected to be available in June and Woods will appear in print and television advertising starting in July, Bioul said.
Woods second in rankings
Masters champion Tiger Woods moved up to second place in the world golf rankings after finishing tied for fourth in the Colonial Invitation this weekend.
The 21-year-old Woods, who fired a two-over-par 72 in the final round to finish three shots behind winner David Frost, is at 10.02 points, with Greg Norman still on top at 10.54. Frost moved back into the top 50 at No. 38.
Woods will become the youngest golfer to reach the top of the world rankings if he finishes ahead of Norman at this week’s Memorial Tournament, though Tom Lehman, Steve Elkington and Nick Price could also reach No. 1.
1960 PGA champ dies
Jay Hebert, winner of the 1960 PGA Championship, died Sunday. He was 74.
Hebert died at Methodist Hospital in Houston where he had been for nearly three months because of a heart condition.
A player and teacher of golf for 48 years, Hebert was the captain of the 1971 U.S. Ryder Cup Team and played in two other Ryder Cup Championships.
He was born Feb. 14, 1923.