Karl Vilips did it, and he did it in style. The 23-year-old is officially TourBound after turning pro in June. Having played in only 10 events on secondary KFT, it sure is a feat. And how did he do it in style, you ask? Well, he was seen donning a pink Sun Day Red polo after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship was concluded. This move led to speculation that this is the time when Tiger Woods‘s brand will start collaborating with the PGA Tour pros.
Well, it could be! Ever since the 15x major winner’s brand landed in the market, it has been under heavy scrutiny for various reasons: unreasonably high prices, a very subpar quality that is not even sweatproof, and whatnot. So, one could assume that Sun Day Red could use some golfers wearing the brand’s apparel on the greens. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a few people who love the brand and cannot wait for its next drop.
Stanford standout Karl Vilips rocking the Sun Day Red polo👀👀
Sun Day Red clothing deals coming to the PGA Tour?! pic.twitter.com/1W6EReW3Qt
— Gabby Herzig (@GabbyHerzig) October 6, 2024
All set for his rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2025, Vilips finished 19th in the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-ending points list, securing one of the 30 PGA Tour cards. The rapid success of the 23-year-old comes right after he graduated from Stanford University. Interestingly, it’s the same college that legendary golfer Tiger Woods attended. Could this be one of the reasons why Vilips chose to wear his university alum’s brand for one of the biggest moments? Only he could affirm!
Tiger Woods is arguably an idol for all the young stars, and so he is for the Australian golfer. In 2017, when Vilips won the Junior Orange Bowl, he became one-upped Woods. The Australian golfer was just 15 at the time of winning the amateur tournament, whereas Woods was 16 when he won in 1991. Vilips was so delighted and said that this helped him build confidence. As far as sharing winning something that Woods has, it obviously is special. “Putting my name with Tiger Woods on the same trophy was pretty nice,” said Vilips post-win.
Since Sun Day Red doesn’t yet have an ambassador on the PGA Tour, Vilips could very well be a potential face for the brand. But chances are that sponsorship could be one of the last things on the brand’s mind, especially with its ongoing legal battle.
Tiger Woods’s SDR faces a trademark lawsuit
Sun Day Red is presently in a legal battle for a trademark infringement issue that has been brought to attention by Tigeraire. The latter brand manufactures cooling products, so very different from the products that SDR makes, yet the logos have an uncanny resemblance.
Tigeraire accused that SDR “unlawfully hijacked” their logo. Tigeraire, founded in 2020, wrote, “The actions of SDR, TaylorMade, and Tiger Woods blatantly ignore Tigeraire’s long-standing protected mark, brand, and identity, violate federal and state intellectual property law, and disregard the consumer confusion their actions create. SDR’s application should be denied.”
The logos of both brands have a leaping tiger towards the right, and both have stripes. However, Woods’s logo has 15 stripes showcasing his 15 major wins. Following this, the brand’s legal team sued Tigeraire for riding on the success of their brand. SDR tried to resolve the issue amicably with Tigeraire through negotiations, but their attempt was futile as the latter made “outrageous monetary demands.”
Meanwhile, the legal battle goes on; maybe fans can wait for SDR’s official debut on the PGA Tour. And if it’s with Vilips, it would only be right!
