Woods Renews Nike-Titleist Rivalry

Tiger Woods used the Nike Tour Accuracy ball during the recent Deutsche Bank-SAP Open at Gut Kaden in Hamburg, a move that could signal the end of his relationship with Titleist. The world No 1's contract to use Titleist clubs and balls was halved in value in 1999 to £1.3 million a year after a dispute over two Nike television advertisements. Titleist complained that both commercials misled viewers into believing he endorsed the Nike ball.

Meanwhile, Nike are renegotiating their five-year, £26 million contract with Woods and are close to a new deal. This is expected to be worth at least double the original amount, especially if Woods - who wears only Nike clothes, shoes and hats - decides to play the company's ball as well.

Nike made a strong push into the ball market this year, signing up Open champion Paul Lawrie and leading Americans Paul Azinger and Notah Begay. Bob Wood, president of Nike Golf, said: "Golf is a business where it's tough on the equipment side to break through. For him to play our product says a lot about it."

Woods has been practising with the ball at his Florida home since the beginning of the year, and Wood added: "This is part of the testing process. We could have more work to do, and that's fine. He's going to tell us what he wants to do, and we'll listen and be responsive to his needs. The thing about Tiger is he's completely about winning. He'll only change if he feels it will help him play better."

Meanwhile, Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg of International Management Group, said: "Tiger's curious. The only way to test it properly is in a tournament. That doesn't mean he's switching. The relationship with Titleist will remain strong."

Woods apparently notified Titleist boss Wally Uihlein that he was going to play the Nike ball in Germany, and his father Earl Woods said that money was not the issue. "Tiger's his own boss," he said. "He'll do what's right and what's best for him. But he'll be responsible for the people who have helped him. Tiger is very loyal to Titleist, because Titleist was there all along."