Sunday at Augusta National was all about Rory McIlroy and whether he could finally cement his legacy by joining rarified air as a member of the career grand slam club. McIlroy did just that at the 2025 Masters, completing the career grand slam in his 11th trie with a green jacket victory for the ages. And he did so with signature Nike swoosh prominent on his body from head to toe.
Monday in golf belonged to Jordan Brand, a subsidiary of Nike that operates as its own apparel entity, which announced its return to the golf space. Its launch focused on the unveiling of the Jordan Air Rev -- a brand new tech-inspired golf shoe -- along with an entire line of products focused on innovation and style.
The shoe itself, available starting May 14, utilizes Jordan Brand's new Flight Lock technology, which creates a customizable system of containment that utilizes a moveable Air Zoom unit to keep golfers' feet locked in place.
As part of the unveiling, an event was hosted at Michael Jordan's golf course, The Grove XXIII -- a personal, invite-only club in Hobe Sound, Florida, where the primary focus was to spread the word that Jordan Brand is ready to take on the golf scene.
CBS Sports was on site and got the opportunity to sit down with Sarah Mensah, president of Jordan Brand, for an exclusive conversation about the brand's decision to focus on golf, Jordan's dedication to the sport and much more.
Why now has Jordan Brand decided to get back in the game of golf?
Sarah Mensah: "The sport of golf is on a roll -- this is an inflection point for golf. Because it's an inflection point for golf, it has to be an inflection point for Jordan Brand as well. Our founder, Michael Jordan, plays golf every day. He's authentically connected to the sport, authentically dedicated to the sport. We have an amazing story to tell, an amazing direction to drive the sport in. So, it's just absolutely the right time."
There's a certain swagger being celebrated in golf right now, is that an avenue in which Jordan Brand believes it can thrive?
Mensah: "Absolutely. Any time you can look at a sport and think about the way you can invite new consumers to that sport, you're on to something special. In this space with M.J. being authentically himself, authentically stylish, focused on innovation and anchored in performance in a sport that he does every day is actually one of the things that will help us introduce new people to the sport. The Jordan Brand is anchored in this defiant sense of self expression that is the essential core of M.J. I think there are people that would be interested in the sport if they felt like they could express it more authentically through their own lens. So, that's what we're doing with the launch of Jordan Golf, is just inviting more people to participate and express in their own way."
"It's gotta be the shoes" was one of the most successful marketing slogans for Michael Jordan in the '90s, but it stuck and consumers believed it really was the shoes. Is that something the brand can do with this golf push, not just the shoes but Jumpman as a whole?
Mensah: "We absolutely can. It's got to be the innovation; we have to define the future of where the sport can go. M.J. is very committed to finding the new next in golf. That's why we're so excited about the Jordan Air Rev because with it comes an entirely new system of innovation that is really designed to help people improve their game. I think as long as you root something authentically in innovation, you're really on to something."
We just saw Rory McIlroy win the Masters decked out in Nike gear. How cool would it be to have a Jordan golfer in that position?
Mensah: "That would be amazing. Based on what we're seeing in the other sports that Jordan has dimentionalizing into, I don't think it's out of the question that we will be in that space soon. There's something really special that is happening with the Jumpman, whether it's college football or the men's NCAA Tournament national championship with both teams being Jordan teams; whether it's with the Dodgers and Mookie Betts or the Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts. Something magical is happening when people don the Jumpman -- it stands for greatness, it stands for taking your game to a higher level, championship excellence and winning. We need to be there in golf as well."
As you mentioned, we just witnessed two Jordan Brand schools (national champion Florida, runner-up Houston) face off for the national championship. How did it feel to be in what seems like a no-lose situation?
Mensah: "It was amazing because it was no-lose. No matter who won, the Jumpman won. But more than anything else, it speaks to how far this brand has come, how big the brand is and the impact it has. There were so many levels that we were enjoying in that moment, to really see what's possible for the brand. It was an epic moment."
There have been rumors about what school could be the next Jordan Brand school, is that something the Brand is actively looking into?
Mensah: "I'm never going to play the hand and give away the names, but I will say this: It has to mean something. We take these relationships very seriously. When a team is going to rock the Jumpman as part of their repertoire, it needs to mean something to them. It needs to mean that they're elevating their game to another level. We take these decisions on which teams to take on very seriously. It's not about scale; it's about being very selective in how we go about it."
