First, there was speculation about whether Tiger Woods would play or not. After a confirmation from the legend himself, the question was: who would caddie for him at the Hero World Challenge? In a press conference yesterday, the 82-time PGA Tour player revealed his bagman, and it’s not Charlie Woods. Now the main question is: what shoes is the veteran golfer going to wear on the Albany Golf Course?

Why is that a question, though? Woods has been a Nike poster boy since 1996, right? Yes, he even has a building named after him on the campus. But since last year, the 47-year-old golfer has ditched his long-time partner in favor of a new brand. Apparently, in the Hero World Challenge, too, Woods sporting the Nike swoosh is doubtful.

What shoes is Tiger Woods going to wear when he returns?

As per some reports, the veteran golfer might not wear a Nike shoe on his Albany outing. It is not immediately clear if he is going to wear the same FootJoy shoes he wore at this year’s Masters.

Woods sporting FootJoy Premier Series-Packard golf shoes caused a lot of controversy at the time. Reportedly, the FootJoy shoes offered him the comfort he needed after his car accident. But that also prompted the question: why not a new shoe from his long-time sponsor instead?

Now, the popular X (formerly Twitter) profile, TWLegion, posted on their handle that the 82-time PGA Tour winner is probably going to wear an unbranded shoe in the Bahamas. The kicks bear some resemblance to the FootJoy shoes he has been wearing for the last year. But at the same time, they also have some similarities with his earlier Nike shoes.

It is not immediately clear if the unbranded shoes are Nike prototypes. Earlier, Tiger Woods was actively involved in designing Nike shoes and testing the prototypes. Based on that, there are rumors that this is the newest in the TW series. Contrarily, the fact that he has not worn a Nike shoe for almost two years has raised speculation that the Nike deal is broken.

Woods and Nike have come a long way

The Nike swoosh has been with Tiger Woods since he turned pro in 1996. In fact, the veteran golfer used Nike Clubs and golf balls until the megabrand stopped their golf equipment business in 2016. The first deal, reported to be worth $40 million, was only for five years. But both parties kept renewing the mutually successful deals even though multiple health and personal crises battered the last leg of Woods’ career.

Read More: Despite Ditching His Long Time Sponsor’s Golf Shoe, How Much Does Tiger Woods Earn From His Nike Deal?

Notably, Tiger Woods was the first golfer to have his namesake shoe line in the vein of his long-time friend, Michael Jordan, and NBA legend Kobe Bryant. The fact that Nike re-released the famous TW’13 that he sported back in 2012 this year is a testament to the sway he holds over the golf community. But as for his latest footwear, we have to wait till Thursday to confirm what shoes the veteran golfer wears in his grand comeback after seven months.

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