Back in December, Nike’s CEO Elliot Hill affirmed that sport will be at the center of Nike’s next business moves. The apparel giant then partnered with Kim Kardashian’s brand Skims to foray into the women’s activewear brand. Just days after that, Nike announced another big move, this time in Golf. World No.1 amateur, Luke Clanton, is now a Nike golfer. From saying “It’s just not my time, man,” after a missed cut at the WM Phoenix Open, to hinting at a partnership with Nike by saying, “It’s time. @nike,” it was a good ride.

Clanton announced the partnership in an Instagram post with a promotional video. The clip showcased the star’s growth from his initiation into Golf to the meteoric rise. The world no. 1 amateur golfer said in the clip, “To future me, I would say, keep taking it slow. Every step and every rep led me to this moment. But those moments don’t define me. This is just the beginning. Now, it’s time to go all in. Time to go further. Dream bigger. Push harder. It’s time … to just do it.”

Clanton is on the verge of holding a PGA Tour card. The 21-year-old Florida State product will tee off in the Cognizant Classic. Should he make the cut, he will earn the necessary 20 points in the PGA Tour University Accelerated table. Clanton, it should be noted, has two runner-up finishes from his 11 PGA Tour starts as well as a further two top-tens. 

Still, fans were not too enamored with the announcement. Firstly, most thought (and still think) that Nike has officially been out of golf. The Beaverton-HQ brand has Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Brooks Koepka on their roster. 

Nike fails to impress fans 

“Didn’t Nike drop Tiger because they were getting out of golf?” asked one fan. Since Tiger Woods left Nike, rumors of the brand leaving Golf have gained momentum. There were reports that Nike was planning to offset its golf business via other brands, and they will eventually drop the pros they have on their roster. But none of them have proven to be true. But still, some believed the “Thought Nike golf dissolved.”

Whereas, for some, it’s truly pointless. Nike shuttered its equipment business in 2016. Since then, they have only operated in the apparel space. Even there, Nike has grappled with challenges from new-age brands like Lululemon, Malbon Golf, Under Armour, and others. Last June, Nike underwent a mass layoff cutting back almost 40% of its global workforce. So, despite roping in Clanton, an up-and-coming star, some commented, “Nike Golf is dead.” While some found the marketing campaign very much over-the-top and ‘corny asf [as f***]’.

A minority of the brand’s traditional fans were happy, however. “First smart thing @Nike has done in a long time….,” commented one user. Back in 1996, Nike signed a rising star named Tiger Woods. It became one of the most iconic partnerships in sports history. Only time will tell if the brand can replicate a similar feat with Luke Clanton.