Win drags golf out of the ‘woods’

TIGER Woods’ win at the Masters could revitalize the golf industry, which has struggled in the past decade while the game’s biggest star was hobbled by issues on and off the course.

Bridgestone Golf, whose logo was on the golf balls Woods used, says its website traffic soared after the Sunday win. PGA Tour Superstore, which sells golf equipment online, says sales were up over the weekend by 50 per cent from a year ago. And shares of Nike, the sponsor that stood by Woods (pictured) after his 2009 car crash and reports of extramarital affairs, rose on Monday, as did the stocks of other golf equipment makers that aren’t connected to Woods.

“The golf industry has been waiting for him to win again,” said Rick Burton, a professor at Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

Nike didn’t waste time capitalising on Woods’ win, posting a video on Twitter that had more than 24 million views by Monday afternoon.

PGA Tour Superstore said a red Nike shirt with a mock turtleneck, similar to the one Woods wore, was its top seller over the weekend.