The 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am features not only top PGA Tour players but also prominent figures from the golf industry, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and David Abeles. Abeles, the President and CEO of TaylorMade Golf Company, is participating as an amateur partner in the pro-am event held at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill. The event pairs professional golfers with business leaders, celebrities, and athletes over the opening two rounds.
Carrying an 11 handicap, Abeles competes alongside a broad range of amateurs, from scratch players to those with an 18 handicap, positioning him as a moderately skilled amateur golfer among a competitive field.
David Abeles’ Extensive Career in Golf Industry Leadership
David Abeles’ career in golf spans decades, beginning in 1995 with TaylorMade in a regional sales capacity, before moving up into key leadership roles across the United States and Asia. After stepping away from the company, he returned in 2015 as President and CEO, steering the brand through significant ownership changes, including sales to KPS Capital Partners in 2017 and to Centroid Investment Partners in 2021, based in Seoul.
Under Abeles’ direction, TaylorMade expanded its global footprint and built relationships with top Tour professionals, such as Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, and Collin Morikawa. His experience also includes senior positions at Cobra Golf under Acushnet and a CEO role at Competitor Group Inc., which manages endurance events like the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series.
Abeles is an alumnus of the University of Connecticut’s School of Business and resides in San Diego with his wife and three sons.
The Origin of Sun Day Red and Abeles’ Connection to Tiger Woods
Beyond corporate leadership, David Abeles has developed close collaborations with golf icons, notably Tiger Woods. On the Dan Evans Show, Abeles discussed the inception of Sun Day Red, Woods’ signature apparel brand. Though the brand officially launched in 2024, its development began years earlier, with early conversations dating to 2017 at the PGA Show in Orlando. At that time, Woods confirmed his equipment partnership with TaylorMade following Nike’s exit from the golf club sector.
Abeles noted that what started as an equipment deal evolved into a broader partnership. The defining moment occurred in 2023 at St Andrews, before The Open, when Woods expressed his desire to create a brand that would outlast his playing career. Inspired by this vision, Abeles collaborated with his team at TaylorMade’s Carlsbad headquarters to craft initial concepts.
Frequent visits to Jupiter, Florida, where Woods resides, followed to refine the brand’s identity. About a month later, Sun Day Red was established, inspired by Woods’ tradition of wearing red on Sundays and built around his personal brand.
“That project was more than a business move; it linked me directly to one of golf’s most iconic figures and added another chapter to my long association with the sport’s biggest legends.” – David Abeles, President and CEO of TaylorMade Golf Company
Implications of the Partnership for Golf and Industry
The collaboration between Scottie Scheffler and David Abeles at the 2026 Pebble Beach Pro-Am exemplifies the intersection of elite sports talent and influential industry leadership. Abeles’ dual role as a top executive and amateur player highlights his deep involvement in the game beyond boardrooms. This partnership reflects the ongoing relationship between equipment manufacturers and Tour professionals, which plays a critical role in shaping golf’s commercial and competitive landscape.
With Abeles’ notable track record of expanding TaylorMade’s international presence and fostering key athlete partnerships, his involvement alongside Scheffler signals potential future initiatives that could impact equipment innovation and athlete branding. The creation of Sun Day Red also underscores how such collaborations can extend athletes’ legacies and influence within the sport.
