Long-time Nike sponsored Tiger Woods is rumoured to be linked with plans to purchase rival golf manufacturer TaylorMade..

The US-based TaylorMade was put up for sale earlier this year by Adidas along the the sister golf brands, Adams Golf and Ashworth.

News of Woods possible involvement is being reported by the U.S. based PGA Tour radio network after the network picked up rumours on social media.

Strangely, the rumour comes some six weeks after Nike Golf announced it was quitting the golf equipment business but retaining the golf attire and footwear side of the business.

Then earlier this week World No. 1 Jason Day, and now a very close friend to Woods, had signed a $US 10m deal to wear the Nike logo oh his attire while also re-signing with TaylorMade to continue using the company’s golf clubs and ball.

If correct, Woods would join the likes of golfing great Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Greg Norman in being financially involved with golf equipment manufacturing.

TaylorMade was launched in 1979 and since then has become a major player in golf helped by the launch in 2005 of the R7 Series driver and the first club to have ‘movable’ weights that would lead the the company breaking though the $US1 billion barrier in yearly earnings.

Then in 2011 TaylorMade revolutionised golf with the introduction of the R11 white pained driver.

Salomon S A had purchased TaylorMade in 1984 before being taken over three years later by Adidas.

And with the likes of Woods and fellow Nike staff players Paul Casey, Jamie Lovemark, Kevin Chappel, Francesco Molinari and Michelle Wie free from 1st January, 2017 to turn to other equipment manufactures it might make good financial sense for Woods.