McIlroy inks Nike deal after Jumeirah split

The world's top golfer, Rory McIlroy, was on Monday unveiled as the new face of Nike, just days after his five-year sponsorship deal with Dubai's Jumeirah Group ended.

The Northern Irish star has landed a major sponsorship deal with the US sports brand announcing the agreement at a press conference in Abu Dhabi where McIlroy is set to play later this week.

The event was attended by McIlroy and Nike Golf chief Cindy Davis who described the deal as "one of the most important events in the history of Nike Golf".

"I chose Nike for a number of reasons," said McIlroy. "It's a company and a brand that really resonates with me. It's young. It's athletic. It's innovative. They are committed to being the best as am I."

The exact value of the agreement is not expected to be revealed but it has been reported that it could be as much as $250m over 10 years which dwarfs the deal Nike has with former world number one Tiger Woods.

Last week, Jumeirah Group said it was not renewing its sponsorship deal with McIlroy.

The Dubai-based luxury hotel company said in a statement that the decision had been jointly agreed.

Jumeirah signed a five-year deal with McIlroy when he was just 18 and was one of his first corporate sponsors.

With the help of Jumeirah's sponsorship, Ulsterman McIlroy has risen to become the world’s number one golfer and a two-time Major winner.