MAHAN'S ENERGY BOOST

Hunter Mahan has added a new endorsement to his business portfolio.

The 2012 WGC-Accenture Match Play Champion admits he’s not being paid to promote this Canadian-based product, nor is he likely to. And he’s fine with that. Mahan has also become a poster boy on the brand’s website. He’s happy to tweet about the product’s virtues and had no issues taking time out of his busy schedule at the RBC Canadian Open to chat with me about it.

Sounds like the PGA Tour star has been sipping too much of the Kool-Aid right? Not exactly. He’s ‘drinking the pink.’

‘The pink’ is BioSteel, a quick-absorbing, high-performance sports drink developed by former Toronto Maple Leafs strength and conditioning coach Matt Nichol that has become a staple of Mahan’s day-to-day routine on tour. The product is a proprietary blend of five key amino acids, electrolytes and carbs essential for sustained energy, recovery and peak performance. Effectively, it’s a healthy, organic alternative to the myriad of sugar-based and caffeine drinks on the market today. It has no spikes or crashes.

In NHL dressing rooms for years, BioSteel has crossed over to the golf world in recent months where it has been met with resounding success. Several players, including Mahan and Luke Donald, now use the product religiously. Mahan can’t take credit for adding BioSteel to his equipment arsenal. Responsible for the hook-up was his agent Chris Armstrong.

“As an athlete and a golfer you’re always looking for something that keeps your mind and body in the best shape it can be,” Mahan explained to me. “You want to keep yourself at the highest level for the longest amount of time because when you play golf you’re out there for five hours, then you’ll go work out afterwards. BioSteel does that for me. As soon as I take it before I work out or go play I feel like this right amount of jolt. It gives me energy but it’s not a spike. It’s energy that keeps me going for a long time. It’s consistent. It’s natural enough it just becomes a part of you. There are so many pills and products out there today you don’t really know if they make a difference. I absolutely feel the difference with BioSteel. That’s why I wanted to get on board with it.”

Influencing Mahan was the heightened penetration BioSteel had with NHL players. Among the users in the league: Steven Stamkos, Carey Price, Mike Cammalleri, Tyler Seguin and Jeff Skinner.

“You pay attention to something like that because NHL players are some of the best athletes in the world from a physical and mental point of view,” Mahan said. “They’re amazing. Well if these guys are giving testimonials about it you want to explore the possibilities right? I mean you look at what I do. I’m out here in all kinds of weather, perspiring, sweating and working hard walking these fairways day after day. I want something I can count on.”