Rory McIlroy has signed a deal with Nike Golf worth more than $200 million, according to a report on FoxSports.com posted late Friday afternoon. [2]
McIlroy, who has played Titleist equipment for the first five years of his professional career, is switching to Nike for perhaps as much as $250 million over 10 years, Robert Lusetich wrote in the post.
He also reported that, “although no one involved would officially confirm the signing,” FoxSports.com has learned that McIlroy has already filmed his first Nike television commercial, which will debut next year, when the deal takes effect. In the ad, he said, McIlroy appears with Tiger Woods, Nick Watney and Kyle Stanley.
If true, the deal would make McIlroy by far Nike Golf’s highest-paid player, and very likely the highest-paid player in all of golf.
Earlier this week, Titleist and McIlroy agreed they would part ways at the end of the year, freeing the popular young Northern Irishman to pursue a lucrative endorsement contract, with strong indications that he would sign with Nike.