Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red Apparel Brand Signs Karl Vilips

Sun Day Red, the apparel company owned by Tiger Woods, is making waves in the golf world by signing Karl Vilips, a 23-year-old Australian rookie. Woods is the only professional golfer to wear the gear at the highest level of professional golf, marking a significant milestone for the brand launched last May.

Vilips, a former No. 1-ranked amateur player who played his college golf at Stanford—just like Woods—will make his PGA Tour debut this week at the Mexico Open. The new brand’s perfect first choice is Vilips due to its shared history at Stanford and Vilips’ promising rise through the ranks.

“Not only does he have the talent, but his story resonates with the values we want to represent,” Scott Frost, Sun Day Red’s head of marketing, shared with Front Office Sports. “He’s perfect for the first, and as we expand, we’ll look for people like him—athletes with great stories who represent what Sun Day Red is all about.”

Vilips, currently occupying No. 253 in the world rankings, earned his PGA Tour card by finishing No. 19 last season on the Korn Ferry Tour, where he won a tournament in Utah and made $340,000. Vilips, born in Indonesia and raised in Perth, Australia, relocated to the U.S. He has been developing momentum towards a breakthrough in professional golf since he was 11. While Woods, now 49, is limited in playing capacity due to ongoing health challenges, Sun Day Red aims toSun Day Red has already exceeded its revenue goals the brand on golf’s biggest stages. His influence on the brand is evident even though Woods left Nike at the end of 2023 after a 27-year partnership.

“Not to say we won’t ever have other big names in the brand,” Frost added. “But for now, we want to build it from the ground up.”

The brand’s strategy appears to be successful. Despite being almost entirely a direct-to-consumer business in its first year, Sun Day Red has already exceeded its revenue goals. The company plans to expand its reach by selling in high-end retail locations starting this summer.

“We’ve fielded a lot of calls from agents and players who are interested in working with us,” Frost shared. “It’s an exciting time, and we’re fortunate to be in a position where we can hand-pick who we work with.”

Vilips’ signing is only the start. Sun Day Red plans to create an entire golf team as it grows, similar to what top brands like Callaway, Nike, and Adidas have done over the years. Frost stated that the primary focus will be on selecting athletes with compelling stories and the potential to make a significant impact in the sport. As for the brand’s iconic logo, which resembles the bold “Tiger-like” imagery Woods is known for, Sun Day Red has already faced trademark disputes, including challenges from Puma and Tigeraire, a company that creates cooling products for athletes. Nevertheless, the brand has continued to forge ahead, with Woods maintaining the rights to his legendary “TW” logo.

However, Sun Day Red has intentionally distanced itself from Nike-related branding. Sun Day Red’s first-year success indicates a promising future for Woods’ apparel venture, which has the potential to challenge the established players in the golf apparel industry. With Vilips now on board, Sun Day Red has the potential to make a long-lasting impact both on and off the golf course.