As a professional athlete, one of the hardest things to cope with is understanding that when the lights fade and the cheers die down, this is a business. I learned that the hard way yesterday when I was unexpectedly and unceremoniously dropped by my long-time sponsor, collaborator and partner Lynx Golf.
It’s easy to forget now the earthquake that rocked the world of mini-tour golf when I forged my partnership with Lynx shortly after they declared bankruptcy in 1998. My celebrated and closely watched transition from Cleveland VAS to Lynx’s signature BlackCat Irons played a pivotal role in my 44 straight cuts missed streak in ‘98-’99 and their vaunted SilverCat Driver was a key contributor to the uncontrollable left to left ball flight that I became known for. The loose epoxy that audibly bounded throughout the shaft of every club they produced became a subtle and soothing reminder of why none of their checks were clearing.
Once my playing career ended and I became a well-known and highly regarded club professional, I continued my work as a Lynx Brand Ambassador by playing the Lynx Super Predator Over Sized Blades as well as the (36Ó) Crystal Cat Chipper. Obviously, the loyalty I displayed over the course of a 20 year relationship was not mutual and I am extremely disappointed with the very public way this separation was handled. That being said, I would like to thank Lynx’s sister brands Killer Bee, Snake Eyes, XPV, Zevo, ZTech, Profinity and MaggieLane for their amazing support through the years and I wish them nothing but the best in the future.
To those who have supported me throughout this process, I thank you. To my current sponsors (most notably CastleBay Iron Covers and Sparko¨ Manual Stroke Counters) I appreciate your friendship and your continued loyalty. As the process to find a new club sponsor begins, I ask for your thoughts and prayers as Tawny and I embark on this difficult time together.
-CPG
