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Two years in the past, Lee Trevino joked he “got here alongside too early” in his golf profession, referring to the piles of cash execs had been making on each LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.
The identical might be stated for tools offers.
Like every little thing else within the golf world over the previous few a long time, endorsement offers with tools corporations have advanced, too. Notably, they’ve turn out to be extra profitable.
So, who would Trevino signal with if he had a contract in as we speak’s golf world?
He riffed on that subject — and much, tons extra — on the Simmons Financial institution Championship at Nice Valley Nation Membership in Little Rock, Ark., on Tuesday. The event is the second cease of the PGA Tour Champions Playoffs schedule; the highest 36 gamers will advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship two weeks from now at Phoenix Nation Membership.
Trevino, 84, was on-site for festivities on Tuesday and deliberate to play within the pro-am on Wednesday. However again to our query: whose golf equipment and/or ball would Trevino use?
Naturally, he had quite a bit to say. (And who’re we to chop off Lee Trevino?)
“Effectively, , they’re making some very, superb golf golf equipment now,” he started. “They’ve gotten to the purpose to the place these corporations, they’re competing with one another. Again in my day, I chased the greenback naturally, just because we didn’t have that a lot so far as prize cash was involved. We had been speaking about that only a second in the past. In 1971, I received seven tournaments after which I completed excessive in a whole lot of tournaments and I received a complete of $153,000. That was if you received a event again then, a daily event, you received 20 % of the purse, which usually was $100,000. Bought a bit bit.
“It’s powerful now with the golf golf equipment as a result of there’s a lot cash now that you just play for, a lot status. The large tournaments imply a lot, the rankings imply a lot that I feel I’d have a whole lot of hassle enjoying an tools firm. I feel I’d strive ’em all and simply play no matter’s greatest. So I might need a 3-wood that I can hit that any person else makes, or a driver, irons. I keep in mind after I began the Tour, I had seven completely different makes in my bag. I didn’t have an entire set of golf equipment, however I didn’t have a contract with anyone. Not till 1971 after I obtained Prime Flite, after I obtained Spalding. They put a rule on you, they need you to make use of the motive force, No. 1. If the motive force’s not good, you’re taking the backseat.”
So his reply? Most likely none. He’d be a uncommon gear free agent, like Brooks Koepka and Adam Scott, amongst others, elect to do now.
Trevino elaborated on the subject and stated there was one time he took the gear contract cash and it backfired on him.
“I took the backseat in Japan as a result of I chased the cash,” he stated. “I keep in mind endorsing a golf ball referred to as Flawless and it was — the Flawless ball was a stable ball. We had it right here within the U.S. after which we had one in Japan. I used to be loyal, and I feel it price me perhaps some tournaments with it as a result of it wouldn’t go as far and I couldn’t work it in addition to I may the opposite golf ball. Golf balls as we speak are manufactured a bit bit completely different. They’re tougher, they don’t spin as a lot, they don’t go as crooked because the balata did.”
Optimum gear or not, although, Trevino did all proper for himself: 29 PGA Tour wins, together with six main titles, and a spot within the World Golf Corridor of Fame.