Rory Mcilroy, currently the world's No 1 golfer, has signed a sponsorship deal with Nike expected to net him around US$250 million over the next ten years, fabulous figures that no doubt rely on him making the odd cut or two and doing a little more than turning up to sign a few shirts here and there.

His profile as holder of two majors is enormous and with Tiger Woods blotting his copybook in term of sponsorship, with the bad publicity over his serial womanising, the major companies involved in golf sponsorship and sales of golf related equipment and clothing, were looking for a "hero" and have found one in a down to earth guy, that also happens to be dating one of the top women tennis players in the world.

Nike has had a number of its major sporting stars fall by the wayside, the most recent being the spectacular demise of cycling ace Lance Armstrong but were prepared to outbid all the opposition to sign Mcilroy, who ticks all the boxes with regards to potential and marketability on a global basis.