This week’s “Off the Fringe” looks at the disappointing return of Tiger Woods; the PGA Tour is spending its new money on top stars; and TaylorMade Golf files a lawsuit against Costco.

Tiger’s Return

The golf world was atwitter when Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour at the Genesis Invitational where he is the host. It was his first PGA Tour event since last year’s Masters, and he lasted halfway through the second round before taking a WD.

For the holes he played his game could be described as not quite ready for prime time, but his appearance did provide the opportunity for him to show off apparel from the new lifestyle clothing company called Sun Day Red he started with TaylorMade Golf who also supplies his clubs.

It appears they also can give him something Nike couldn’t or wouldn’t in his almost 30 years under contract—part ownership of his own brand. Might there also be a similar deal for clubs in the works?

PGA Tour’s New Cash

The big news about the merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is there’s no news but there was an interesting development namely a group of U.S. investors the Strategic Sports Group coming to the table with a $3 billion investment in a for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises.

Commissioner Jay Monahan announced some $750 million of the first $1.5 billion in equity in the new company will be split amongst 36 players selected by their performance the past five years, career performance and the Player Impact Program.

My calculator says that’s an average of $21 million each, nowhere near some of the LIV Golf signing numbers but the fact that players will be part owners of the company should make a huge difference and may curtail more defections to the breakaway league.

TaylorMade Sues Costco

TaylorMade Golf has begun a lawsuit against Costco, the big box retailer with hundreds of their own brands, for patent infringement saying there are too many features in the Kirkland Signature Players Irons copying TaylorMade’s P790 irons. ⁠Like all cases of this type it will not be resolved soon.