Before Hazeltine, Natalie Vivaldi Becomes First PGA Professional to Join Sun Day Red

When Natalie Vivaldi arrives on the first tee at Hazeltine National this week, she'll represent much more than herself.

The PGA Teaching Professional from Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, California, will once again join one of the most distinctive traditions in championship golf: the opportunity for club professionals to compete alongside the best players in the world at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

For the second consecutive year, Vivaldi qualified for the major by finishing top eight in the LPGA Professionals Championship, earning her place in a field filled with major champions, Solheim Cup stars and the game's biggest names.

Now she'll make another debut.

Vivaldi has signed an apparel agreement with Sun Day Red, the premium performance brand launched by Tiger Woods and backed by TaylorMade Golf, now becoming the first PGA staff professional on the company's roster to compete in a major.

"It's really a special moment for me," Vivaldi said. "SDR being affiliated with TaylorMade and my deep love for that brand, it was really cool to be given that opportunity and for them to recognize my passion for women's golf and striving for greatness. That's what that company represents."

Vivaldi has been a member of Team TaylorMade since joining the PGA of America and has spent years building relationships throughout the organization. She regularly works with the brand’s Women's Golf & Social Club initiative, conducting clinics for female employees and helping introduce more women to the game.

The SDR partnership feels like a natural progression.

"My relationship with TaylorMade and the women who work there is really special," Vivaldi said. "They’re true friends and they do such a great job with women's golf and growing the game. I'm really grateful for that relationship."

Sun Day Red officials saw those same qualities in Vivaldi.

"Our athlete strategy is about partnering with golfers who share Tiger's love of competing and his relentless pursuit of excellence, and Natalie embodies that on every level, both on the course and through her coaching," said Scott Frost, Head of Marketing for Sun Day Red. "Her infectious attitude and the way she carries herself elevates everyone around her. Like Tiger, she's passionate about growing the game and carries that spirit forward in the women's game."

The timing couldn't be better.

Hazeltine National, one of America's most decorated championship venues, will provide the backdrop for Vivaldi's second major championship appearance. Unlike last year, she arrived with a better understanding of what championship week entails. She even made a scouting trip to Minnesota ahead of time to experience the course before the crowds, television towers and championship buzz arrived.

"It feels proper," Vivaldi said. "You step on the grounds and it feels like you're standing on a major championship golf course. Growing up in the industry and playing a lot, you think, 'This is what it should feel and look like.' Narrow fairways, perfectly placed bunkers, thick rough and fast greens. It's beautiful. It's hard and it's going to be a great test. I think pars are going to be great scores around that golf course."

While Hazeltine will challenge every player in the field, Vivaldi is eager to showcase more than her game.

She'll wear pieces from Sun Day Red's upcoming women's collection, including apparel scheduled for future release. The LPGA sent a note to competitors encouraging them to wear their country’s colors in honor of the FIFA World Cup, and SDR das a special USA-inspired look ready for Vivaldi.

During a recent visit with company leadership, she provided feedback on fit, functionality and design – an opportunity she considers just as meaningful as wearing the logo

"I was able to sit down with the president of Sun Day Red and talk about the clothes and give my own feedback," Vivaldi said. "That's a really big passion of mine, being able to be a part of what they're doing and help make it better."

For Vivaldi, that collaboration is especially important because women's golf apparel hasn't always been designed with female golfers in mind.

"The way they designed it, the material, the fit – everything moves really well," she said. "The bottoms are really important because they're hard to get right. They built an elastic band on the back, but not the front so the fit is comfortable, it moves with me and it performs. It’s those details. I'm really excited to represent the clothes and the brand."

The footwear has been equally impactful. After battling plantar fasciitis, Vivaldi said finding comfortable, supportive golf shoes had become a priority. Sun Day Red's footwear quickly earned her trust.

"Apparently it's an issue that Tiger faced too, so the shoes were built with that level of support in mind. It's such a good feeling to know we've got good-looking shoes that perform well but are supportive," she said. "I finally feel like I have a shoe I can walk 18 holes, 36 holes, 72 holes and not be in pain. That is huge."

For Sun Day Red, continuing to build its roster of PGA Professionals – which includes a seven-member advisory board – carries significance beyond a single tournament week.

"PGA Professionals are the heartbeat of this game, shaping players and building the communities that keep golf thriving," said David DeLong, Head of Sales for Sun Day Red. "As a green-grass-first brand, that relationship is central to who we are. Having an athlete like Natalie reinforces our commitment to the people at the core of golf."

That sentiment mirrors one of the most compelling aspects of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship itself – providing club professionals an opportunity to step away from their lesson tees and daily responsibilities to compete on one of golf's biggest stages. 

For a week, the teachers become players again. This year, Vivaldi will do so while making a little history of her own.

And if her debut in Sun Day Red happens to inspire more women to see themselves in the brand – or more PGA Professionals to dream a little bigger – that may be every bit as meaningful as the score she posts at Hazeltine.