12-year-old golf prodigy Xeve Perez signs NIL deal with Cobra Puma

Xavier “Xeve” Perez, a 12-year-old golf prodigy, has won more than 250 tournaments since he began playing at three years old. He recently signed a NIL deal with Cobra Puma.

The deal will see Perez wear Puma footwear, apparel and other accessories. On top of that, his clubs will be Cobra Puma branded. There are no financial details currently available for the deal. He has previously signed deals with Easypost, JumboMax and OnCore.

“Xeve’s personality, talent and love for the game is inspiring, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Cobra Puma Golf family,” Dan Ladd, president and GM of Cobra Puma Golf, said in a statement. “He is a fantastic talent and role model, which aligns with our mission to push the game forward and inspire the next generation of golfers. We’re excited to be part of his journey.”

Xeve Perez already has a team of experienced agents working with him, including Brett Falkoff, who represents Bryson DeChambeau.

“His larger-than-life personality and well-mannered demeanor will set him apart, and we feel that combined with his work ethic and passion for the game, it’s only a matter of time before he takes the golf world by storm,” Falkoff said in a statement.

NIL headlines

The law regarding NIL is challenging at the college level. However, it’s even more clouded for athletes before they go to college because the law changes on a state-by-state basis. Only a handful of states even allow high school athletes to profit from their NIL.

There are currently eight states where NIL is allowed for high school athletes. Seven others have laws written where it is unclear if they are able to do so.

Xeve Perez isn’t even in high school, yet. Deals like this could very easily make it so that he’s ineligible to compete for his high school team. At the same time, Perez is the type of prodigy who may skip school to go pro.

The rules and state laws around NIL are rapidly changing, and Perez and his family betting on his talent as a golfer.