Former World No.1 splits with TaylorMade after 18 years

It's the end of the road for TaylorMade and this former World No.1.

TaylorMade and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson have ended their relationship.

LIV Golf star and former World No.1 Dustin Johnson signed for TaylorMade when he turned pro in 2007 and has remained with the brand ever since, signing extensions to his deal in both 2016 and 2021, but he’s now an equipment free agent.

Johnson, who has always worn TaylorMade branding on his cap, was seen without the logo for the first time in his professional career during LIV’s season-opening event in Riyadh at the weekend. Instead, the 40-year-old was wearing 4Aces GC-branded headwear as he struggled to a T44 finish.

The American, who has tumbled to 578th in the world since joining LIV in a reported $200 million deal in 2022, won 24 PGA Tour titles, including the 2016 US Open and 2020 Masters, during his time with TaylorMade and was held up alongside Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods as one of the brand’s star athletes. Famed for his big hitting from the tee, he was the ideal poster boy for TaylorMade drivers and golf balls.

Johnson, who was just the third man in PGA Tour history to win at least one title in each of his first 13 seasons, first became World No.1 in February 2017 and has racked up a total of 135 weeks at the top of the rankings – the third highest of all time. Only Greg Norman (331) and Tiger Woods (683) have more, but Johnson could find himself nudged into fourth if current World No.1 Scottie Scheffler can remain there for ten more weeks.

TaylorMade confirmed to TG on Monday that his contract had expired at the end of 2024.

It’s the second long-standing deal that has ended for Johnson since moving to LIV, where he captains 4Aces GC. The former Ryder Cup star had been an adidas Golf ambassador, wearing the brand’s clothing and shoes for 15 years before he ended the deal last season. Johnson and his teammates went on to sign a deal with Extracurricular.

Johnson is a three-time winner on LIV – Boston in 2022, Tulsa in 2023, and Las Vegas in 2024 – and won the individual standings in his first year.

TaylorMade sponsor a number of the game’s biggest stars on the PGA Tour and LPGA in 2025, including Scheffler, McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Collin Morikawa, Charley Hull, and Nelly Korda.