Rory McIlroy drops hint he is ready to follow Tiger Woods and quit Nike deal

Nike could lose another top golf athlete in years to come, following 12-time major winner Tiger Woods out the door, with Rory McIlroy’s deal set to end in 2027

Rory McIlroy could follow in Tiger Woods’ footsteps and leave megabrand Nike when his contract expires and team up with up-and-coming golf clothiers Greyson, after being snapped getting cosy with the company’s founder in Dubai.

Woods and Nike called time on their successful commercial partnership after 27 years earlier this month. The partnership was said to have earned the golf legend a mind-boggling £311million.

“Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world,” Woods said in an official statement. “The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever.

Rumours have linked 15-time major winner Woods to TaylorMade, with the serial PGA title-winner already using their clubs. The brand retweeted an upcoming Woods podcast appearance with a wide-eyed emoji along with the caption: “Stay tuned.”

Attention has now turned toward another high-profile Nike golf athlete McIlroy, who is under contract with the brand until 2027. However, in a hint at where his future may lie, brand Greyson shared a picture of their founder Charlie Schaefer alongside McIlroy in Dubai, laughing and joking.

The meeting with Schaefer was clearly one of McIlroy’s joyful moments from his time in Dubai, narrowly missing out on victory in the Dubai Invitational. McIlroy finished second behind Tommy Fleetwood and was critical of his own performance. “I made some silly mistakes, which is to be expected in my first tournament back out after a while,” he said. “If I can clean that up, I feel like the rest of the game is right there.”

McIlroy smiled and gave Fleetwood a big hug on the 18th green after missing out on a first victory since the Scottish Open in July. “It’s always very special when you play with one of your friends, one of the best players in the world, challenging yourself against those guys,” Fleetwood said.

“Rory’s been a very, very supportive influence on me over the past. … I’ve watched him do amazing things down the stretch in golf tournaments, and today was my turn.”

McIlroy will look to put his latest disappointment behind him as he competes in another Middle East-based tournament. The Northern Irishman will compete in the Dubai Dessert Classic in two days time.

The total purse for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is £7.1m, with the winner pocketing £1.2m. McIlroy has tasted victory at this competition before, finishing first on three different occasions.