It's Time for Tiger Woods to Start Begging Nike for a Second Chance

Tiger Woods is no stranger to being caught in the rough. His driving is the problem (no pun intended). It's unpredictable and completely inconsistent. But he also seems to move on from frustrating club transgressions with amazing second shots, returning to greatness as if the swing before had never happened.

But that's Tiger Woods on the golf course. The public hasn't seen his moral transgressions, until recently, so it's unclear whether he will ever get a second shot. His legendary status as a progressive, yet humble golfer can go up in flames as the public considers Tiger's infamous voicemail, which instructs his mistress to hide incriminating information from his childbearing wife. With one single bad turn, Tiger's image might be wrecked beyond repair.

Don't get me wrong, Tiger could make yet another amazing recovery, swinging back into good favor with his family, friends and fans. It wouldn't be a shock; it has been done before, look at Kobe Bryant. And then there is Bill Clinton, who seems to have made an art-form out of it.

But the question is: what will Tiger's sponsors do? Will Tiger's biggest sponsor, Nike, give him a second chance?

Tiger Woods is Nike Golf. Tiger has acted as Nike's Flag Ship celebrity endorsement, lifting the golf brand from nobody status to a major player in only a few years. Nike's largest growth segments include Tiger Woods apparel and golf equipment. Business has been booming for both Tiger Woods and Nike. They have truly forged a marriage worth keeping.

But with the recent charge of infidelity, Tiger might turn off potential Nike Golf customers. Golfers are often set in their ways so switching to different clubs, such as Nikes, is a tough sell to begin with. Even with the lull experienced by playing with old clubs, golfers may hold on to their seasoned ones to avoid the risk of getting caught out-of-luck with the so called hot thing on the block - Nike clubs.

Regardless of the outcome, Nike should be worried. Without Tiger Woods, the golf brand may crash and burn.