Rory McIlroy was spotted wearing a special edition version of his Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 golf shoes at TPC Sawgrass this week. Part of the 'NRG' range of Nike shoes, the pair are finished in a white/metallic gold/metallic silver finish and are celebrating The Players Championship, often regarded as the 'fifth Major'.
This is not the first time Rory has shown up to this event with gold golf shoes, as he actually won the 2019 tournament wearing Nike shoes with a gold sole. Obviously he will be hoping for the same result this week!
McIlroy has regularly worn special edition versions of his golf shoe because nike releases cool, unique colors at each Major and then Ryder Cups. For example he wore a Beatles style homage at the Open in 2023 and then at the 2023 Ryder Cup he wore his shoe finishes in yellow and blue accents.
As mentioned these shoes are often always available to buy and they definitely always stand out, but the 2024 Players Championship version has to be the best finish yet. In fact when I saw them I immediately sent a picture to other members of the Golf Monthly team and we all agreed how cool they are. That almost never happens given our different tastes!
- Read our full Nike Air Zoom Victory Tour 3 Golf Shoe Review
I actually tested the standard shoes back in June 2023 and I cannot stress enough how much I like them. Performance is not just cosmetic, despite them also being one of the best looking golf shoes on the market. No, they are arguably the best golf shoes money can buy right now.
I loved the comfort thanks to the extra thickness of padding around the ankle, and the internal strap on the inside of the shoe contours to your feet. The Zoom Air unit gave a nice feel, as did the foam throughout the shoe which almost gave a bouncy sensation when walking. I almost felt like McIlroy when he is playing well!
As I expected, the grip and stability of the shoes was top-notch as well and it is also 100% waterproof which is an absolute must for me. Admittedly the shoes do come with a price tag at the top end of the spectrum, but I think the performance is worth it, especially when you can get a special edition design like the one above!