Tiger Woods‘ split from Nike may have stemmed from the sportswear giant’s refusal to grant the golfing legend something TaylorMade hasn’t hesitated to hand over.

Woods, 48, parted ways with Nike last month, bringing an end to a 27-year relationship, believed to be worth $500 million, which gifted fans with his iconic ‘Sunday red’ looks.

The 15-time major winner has now taken his infamous association with the color and launched his own clothing line, ‘Sun Day Red’.

Woods joined forces with TaylorMade, announcing an expanded partnership with the new golf attire and accessory line on Monday.

And it appears that TaylorMade, which has supplied Woods with his clubs since Nike shut down its golf equipment division in 2016, offered him something he reportedly hadn’t been getting under the iconic Swoosh.

TaylorMade may be offering Tiger Woods the one thing Nike wouldn’t before their split

The golfing legend launched his golf apparel and accessory line, ‘Sun Day Red’ on Monday

Woods, 48, parted ways with Nike last month, bringing an end to a 27-year relationship

Woods never owned equity in Nike, according to reports, and it appears that as soon as his latest contract expired, TaylorMade stepped in and offered him just that.

Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney and the founder of Gerben IP, found that the trademark filings for Sun Day Red were consistent with sharing ownership between Woods and TaylorMade.

‘Tiger and TaylorMade set up a completely new company to sell Tiger’s products,’ Gerben wrote on X. ‘The deal structure suggests that Tiger and TaylorMade are sharing ownership (and profits) of the new company.’

Gerben added that it was highly unusual for companies to create a new entity unless there was a ownership stake for the athlete.

‘The fact that TaylorMade filed for an LLC (vs a corporation) is really interesting,’ Gerben wrote. ‘Typically, an LLC is formed when the entity in question will be owned by multiple individuals or companies.’

‘The fact that TaylorMade created a new company to own these trademarks also indicates that the entity was created solely for the partnership with Woods.

‘This suggests that Woods will have equity in both the trademarks and whatever project he is launching with TaylorMade.’

Co-ownership was also supported by Sun Day Red being sold under a newly created company, separate from TaylorMade, according to Front Office Sports’ David Rumsey.

TaylorMade CEO David Abeles (right) insisted the deal was not an endorsement at the launch

Woods launched his new apparel and footwear brand Sun Day Red with TaylorMade

The new business is set to be based in San Clemente, California, separate from TaylorMade’s headquarters in Carlsbad, California.

The theory also appeared to be supported by TaylorMade CEO David Abeles during Monday’s launch.

‘This isn’t an endorsement,’ Abeles insisted. ‘This is a full-blown, unequivocal partnership… with arguably one of the greatest athletes that’s ever played any sport. Period.’

Woods debuted his Sun Day Red line at his long-awaited return to the PGA Tour at the Genesis Invitational this week.

The golf icon, who hadn’t played in a full-field event on the Tour since the Masters last April, teed it up in his new brand at Riviera Country Club for his first competitive tournament of 2024, which he previously pledged would be filled with an event a month.

For Thursday’s opening round, he wore a black sweater with the brand’s logo, a tiger emblem, stitched underneath the collar in white with a matching cap.

The tiger logo is made up of 15 stripes – one for every major he’s won – while the brand’s name is inspired by Woods’ color of choice for every final round he plays.

Woods debuted his new apparel during the Genesis Invitational at Riviera this week

He withdrew from Genesis Invitational on Friday with flu-like symptoms and dehydration

Meanwhile on Friday, he threw back to his PGA Tour debut, which came at Riviera in 1992 when he was just a 16-year-old amateur, with a striped polo that was reminiscent of the shirt he wore for the occasion.

However, fans won’t be seeing any more glimpses of the freshly-launched brand as Woods was forced to withdraw from the tournament just seven holes into his second round.

He was suffering with flu-like symptoms and dehydration after hitting his tee shot on the seventh hole at Riviera.

He was one-over par for the round – two over for the tournament – and projected just outside the cut when he asked for a cart and was driven off the course by a rules official. He had been walking slowly and looked drained of energy playing the front nine.