NEW YORK — Nike aired a new television commercial Wednesday featuring Tiger Woods and the voice of his late father, an edgy move that calls out his personal problems on the eve of his return to competitive golf. The ad aired on ESPN and the Golf Channel the day before the Masters begins.
In the stark, black-and-white ad, a solemn Woods looks directly into the camera without speaking while a recording of his late father is heard, speaking about taking responsibility.
“Did you learn anything?” Earl Woods asks.
Woods is returning to golf after a leave that followed revelations of infidelities and a stint in rehab. Nike is one of the few sponsors to stand by Woods during his troubles. He lost top endorsements from companies such as Accenture and AT&T since problems surfaced after a car crash Thanksgiving night.
Woods is the face of Nike’s golf line and will be using its products when he plays at Augusta today, his first tournament since November. The Associated Press
