Delta Air Lines signs deals with four golf athletes

The GIST: Delta’s spending its green on the putting green. The airline immersed itself in the women’s golf landscape on Tuesday by signing deals with four athletes, part of Delta’s prep for this weekend’s Mizuho Americas Open — and the anticipated professional debut of Rose Zhang.

The details: Zhang scored a deal with Delta, as did retired pro Michelle Wie West. The airline also inked name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals with Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn and Stanford’s Megha Ganne, who will sport Delta’s logo during non-college events.

• Ganne also booked insurance company Liberty National as a partner this week, adding to the teenager’s already impressive sponsorship portfolio that includes TaylorMade, Ralph Lauren, and Bank of America. The kids are alright.

The context: This move greatly increases the airspeed of Delta’s women’s sports investments. The airline became a sponsor of the NWSL and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Women’s Mentorship Program last year and doubled down on its women’s soccer commitment through a YouTube series celebrating the NWSL’s 10th season.

Zooming out: From brand dollars to media coverage, Zhang’s debut is being treated as a marquee LPGA event in every sense. The increased eyeballs may help the golf tour level up after sponsorship and TV wins in the last year, and Delta’s bet on young golfers could signal a new age for the sport on the course and the balance sheet. Flying high.