• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 1, 2025

NIL Has Made Many Golfers De Facto Pros Before They Leave College

  • Brands are lining up to sponsor top players in the college ranks.
  • Amateurs can familiarize themselves with a company before turning pro.
Jun 15, 2024; Pinehurst, North Carolina, USA; Ludvig Aberg hits from the number eight tee box during the third round of the U.S. Open golf tournament.
Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

In professional golf, top players earn millions of dollars through contracts with companies that supply their clubs and clothes. Up until 2021, those sponsorship dollars would start hitting a golfer’s bank account only after they gave up their amateur status. But since the emergence of relaxed name, image, and likeness policies in college sports, that process has sped up.

Instead of recruiting top amateurs after they’ve proved themselves playing for a major university, brands now have the option of betting on young talent before they become household names. There are pros and cons to that strategy, though. 

“It’s hard enough, when they’re professionals, to really measure the ROI on some of these agreements,” says Jeff Lienhart, the president of Adidas Golf, which heading into last week’s Scottish Open sponsored three of the top 10 ranked men’s golfers in the world. “We believe in the system and we believe in having these partnerships with professional athletes. NIL is even that much more difficult to measure an ROI.”

Still, visibility is key for brands looking to sell shirts, shoes, pants, and more. So, striking an early relationship with a player who might one day be in the final group of a major, like this week’s Open Championship, is worth the investment. “It gives you a seat at the table, so that when they turn professional, you’re in a good position to negotiate what the future might hold,” Lienhart tells Front Office Sports, white noting sales often spike after an Adidas player wins or has a strong Sunday finish.

Players Have Options

While NIL deals are great for college golfers’ wallets, they can make for some tricky situations. 

Michael Thorbjornsen earned his PGA Tour card by finishing first in the PGA Tour University rankings during his senior season at Stanford, which is a Nike school. But Thorbjornsen opted for an NIL deal with Adidas. “It was cool to be able to see what the other product looks like and what it feels like,” he tells FOS. “Obviously, it took a little bit of time to get used to it.” 

Wearing dueling brands during his college years didn’t have much of an impact on his decision upon turning pro last month, though. “I guess you could say Nike was there, but it never really was,” Thorbjornsen says. “They weren’t successful in that.” Thorbjornsen followed in the footsteps of fellow PGA Tour University winner Ludvig Åberg (above), who also had an Adidas deal in college and now as a pro, currently ranked No. 4 in the world.

The New-Age Golfer

Apparel endorsements are just one piece of the puzzle for young golfers, though. Equipment manufacturers routinely shell out seven-figure paydays for players to swing their clubs, and all kinds of companies from banks and credit cards to insurance providers and airlines are willing to spend the same amount for nothing more than a logo on a shirt or golf bag. 

Now, that all comes before they even join a tour. “Nothing really feels that different,” Thorbjornsen says of his transition from college to pro player. He’s not alone. For most up-and-coming pros, that’s simply the new reality.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Gauff, Pegula Out at Wimbledon in Nightmare Start for American Women, ESPN

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were ranked Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, entering Wimbledon.

LIV Golf CEO Pushes Back On PGA Tour Merger

Scott O’Neil said there could be new opportunities for the Tour’s players.
Ohio State

Collectives Funnel $20 Million to College Athletes on Last Day Before Revenue..

Collectives frontloaded payments just before the revenue sharing era begins July 1.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Nov 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) celebrates a shot in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Malik Beasley’s Messy Offseason Includes $2.25M Suit From Ex-Agency

The former Pistons player is not having a good summer.
Shai
July 1, 2025

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Becomes NBA’s First $70 Million Player

The superstar could’ve waited for an even bigger deal next year.
Dewanna Bonner
exclusive
July 1, 2025

WNBA Cutdown Deadline Could Spur Deals for DeWanna Bonner, Emma Meesseman

The two big-name free agents could find their WNBA homes in July.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 30, 2025

What Would a LeBron James L.A. Exit Look Like?

ESPN’s Bobby Marks said “there isn’t” a trade market for James.
Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium.
June 30, 2025

Rape Suit Against QB Retzlaff Dismissed, but He’s Still Leaving BYU

Retzlaff admitted to “consensual” sex, violating BYU’s strict honor code.
June 30, 2025

As NBA Salary Cap Rises, Role Players Are Getting $100M+ Deals

The salary cap has increased by 10% in three of four seasons.
June 29, 2025

Malik Beasley Being Investigated in NBA Gambling Probe

If proven, the claims could lead to Beasley’s lifetime expulsion from the NBA.