Rory McIlroy signs multi-year deal with Nike

Dan Murphy

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The worst-kept secret in golf is out in the open

First came the rumours, then the more informed speculation. All the while, the manufacturer in question steadfastly replied with a “no comment”.

Now Rory McIlroy’s move to Nike is official – where he will join Tiger Woods, as well as the likes of fellow new recruits Nick Watney, Kyle Stanley, Seung-Yul Noh and Thorbjorn Olesen.

RELATED: What’s in Rory McIlroy’s bag?

Rory McIlroy Nike Signing

At a press conference in Abu Dhabi, McIlroy announced that he had signed a multi-year contract, the terms of which were not disclosed.

As expected, McIlroy will play and wear Nike from head to toe. That includes his shoes and clothing as well as all 14 clubs and the ball.

Up until now, McIlroy had played exclusively with Titleist clubs ever since turning professional after the 2007 Walker Cup.

He won his second Major championship last August at the PGA at Kiawah Island, to add to the US Open title he claimed the year before at Congressional.

He also topped the money lists on both the PGA and European Tours last year.

McIlroy, 23, has already been on the winning side of two Ryder Cup teams, though in truth he is yet to show his best form in the team event.

“McIlroy will play and wear Nike from head to toe. That includes his shoes and clothing as well as all 14 clubs and the ball.”
It turns out that he visited Nike’s club development facility in Forth Worth, Texas, last autumn to test his new equipment.

“I visited The Oven and I was seriously impressed with both the craftsmanship of the Nike club engineers and how much R&D and product innovation goes on there,” said McIlroy. “I’ve been blown away by the attention to detail when it comes to product.”

This is what McIlroy will have in his bag for his first event, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:

Rory McIlroy WITB January 2013

Driver: Nike VR_S Covert Tour (9.5˚, neutral position, Mitsubishi Diamana Prototype shaft)

Fairways: Nike VR Pro Limited Edition (15 & 19˚)

Irons: Nike VR Pro Blades (3-PW)

Wedges: Nike VR Pro (54 & 60˚)

Putter: Nike Method 006 Prototype

Ball: Nike 20XI X

Shoes: Nike Lunar Control

More information: Nike Golf

About the author

Dan Murphy

Dan is a lifelong golfer. He had the great fortune to grow up within 200 yards of the 5th fairway of his local 9-holer, Rawdon, in Leeds.

Dan attended his first Open Championship in 1988 at Royal Lytham. The first action he saw, peering through the crowds behind the 8th green, was Paul Broadhurst holing out from the fairway below for an eagle. Which seemed perfectly normal at the time.

Since then, he has attended a further 27 Opens. Tragically, he can recite a phenomenal number of arcane statistics about The Open – whether you ask him to or not.

Dan has a post-graduate diploma in print journalism and is an experienced writer and editor. He is also a director of NCG’s parent company.

Dan specialises in the golf courses of the British Isles and heads up NCG Top 100s course rankings. He is not unacquainted with links golf and is closing in on a lifetime tally of 700 courses played.

In a former life, Dan was NCG’s equipment editor. Currently in his bag are: Ping G440 Max driver, Ping G440 Thriver, Ping G440 4-wood, Ping iDi 3-iron, Ping Blueprint-S irons, Ping S259 wedges and a Ping Scottsdale Tec Ketsch Onset putter.

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