Nike Technology Will Keep Athletes Cool, Dry and UV Protected in the Heat of Competition
BEAVERTON, Ore. (July 31, 2008) – Nike Golf, the number one golf apparel company in the world, will have significant presence and visibility as millions of viewers around the world tune in to The PGA Championship next week. During all four rounds, members of Nike Golf’s Tour staff will be wearing head-to-toe Nike Golf technology which is only fitting coming from the Brand that pioneered technological golf apparel.
During each day of competition at the 2008 PGA Championship, Nike Golf’s Tour staff members will be wearing two specific technologies that are proven and tested to perform in the most extreme conditions: DriFIT UV and Nike Sphere Dry. These two technologies provide best in class in moisture management, cooling and UV protection.
“Our experience in outfitting Tour players for the PGA Championship is that it presents some of the most challenging conditions our athletes face all year. It’s peak summer weather with a grueling combination of heat and humidity,” said Doug Reed, Global Director of Apparel and Footwear for Nike Golf. “With this in mind, we scripted our athletes with the goal of ensuring that their apparel would perform under these tough conditions and provide them with a competitive advantage over the course of the weekend. The performance of their apparel should not be on their minds the week of the tournament. Instead, they should be confident that what they are wearing is going to keep them, dry, cool and as comfortable as possible.”
Nike Golf DriFIT UV technology, which keeps golfers dry from sweat so that they are more comfortable during their round, will be worn by Nike athletes every day of the PGA Championship. Nike’s DriFIT UV technology wicks perspiration from the skin to the outside of the garment for rapid evaporation, and protects the skin from sun damage. Nike Golf athletes also will feature a combination of solid DriFIT pants, Nike’s new Plaid DriFIT Pants, as well as the Striped DriFIT Pants. The Nike DriFIT pants are a favorite among the Nike Tour players because they keep them cool and dry, and don’t wrinkle when they travel week in and week out.
Nike Golf’s Stephen Ames and Chad Campbell will be sporting the DriFIT UV technology on Thursday and Sunday, in the color of lawn and light blue, respectively. The UV Core Stripe polo that Ames is wearing on Thursday is a new style for this season. In addition to staying dry, Ames and Campbell will be protected from the UV rays with a UPF of 30 created through the weave of the DriFIT UV fabric. Nike Golf takes pride in the fact that it is the weave of the fabric that creates the sun protection, not a chemical that is sometimes used to treat the fabric.
Nike Golf athlete’s Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman and Anthony Kim all will be donning Nike’s popular Sphere Technology. With the recognizable three-dimensional fabric construction, this Sphere technology keeps the Nike Golf athletes cool and dry by increasing air flow to their skin and reducing cling from perspiration. This fabric reacts to the body by increasing airflow when golfers perspire to help keep them cool and comfortable. This allows the body to cool down quicker and keep it dry from sweat.
A shirt promising to gain attention during the PGA Championship week is the Shoulder Graphic Polo which will be worn by both Immelman and Cink. This polo is made from the Nike Sphere Dry Technology combining style with visible technology evidenced by a unique graphic across the shoulders. Two-time PGA Tour winner Kim will be featuring a new style in the Sphere React family with the Sphere React Cool Polo.
Most Nike Golf Tour Players will round out their look with another piece of performance apparel, the Tour Perforated Cap. This hat is made with DriFIT Technology to keep the head dry from sweat and cool through the perforation which covers the entire head. It is a favorite hat amongst the Nike Golf athletes as it is lightweight and extremely breathable.
The scripting process of Nike Golf Tour Staff members were finalized a year ago, in which the athletes and Nike Golf’s apparel team collaborated to decide on styles that are suited to each athlete’s preferences. This advanced planning allows the world ranked athletes not to worry about their apparel and instead keep all of their focus on their game.
For more information or images, log onto: www.nikegolf.com/presscenter
Located in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike Golf designs and markets golf equipment, apparel, balls, footwear, bags and accessories worldwide. Nike Golf is passionately dedicated to honoring and respecting the traditions and heritage of the game, and to providing committed golfers with the absolute best equipment in the game. In 2008, Nike Golf has ten PGA Tour wins and 49 top-10 finishes and seven international victories. In 2007, Nike Golf had 13 PGA Tour wins, seven Nationwide Tour victories and eight international titles. For the last two years, Nike Golf has led the PGA Tour in driver, fairway woods and iron wins. For more information on Nike Golf, visit our Web site at www.nikegolf.com. Editors and journalists in the U.S. seeking editorial information and downloadable images, visit www.nikegolf.com/presscenter. For international journalists, please contact Nike Golf’s public relations representative in respective countries for information.
Contact:
Beth Gast – Nike Golf
503.532.8852
beth.gast@nike.com
Gretchen Wilhelm- Nike Golf
503.532.6236
gretchen.wilhelm@nike.com
