World No. 1 Rory McIlroy was given a heroes reception when he visited Nike World HQ in Beaverton, Oregon on Tuesday.

It was McIlroy’s first visit to ‘The Innovation Kitchen’, as the Head Office of the sporting giant is more affectionately known.

One of Nike’s officials here in Orlando this week said that nearly a 1,000 Nike staff members, and that’s virtually the whole complex, welcomed the four-time Major winner to the company’s premises.

And McIlroy, who played a practice round with Woods before heading down to Australia last week, believes it’s good to have the former long-time World No. 1 back inside the ropes.

“I played golf with him about four weeks ago and it was his first day back on a golf course since the PGA Championship,” said McIlroy.

“He looked really good to me. He is healthy, he is swinging the club a lot better.  He was doing most of it on his own but obviously it came out last week he has hired this swing coach Chris Como.

“So while I am not playing this week I will keep an eye on the tournament to see how it is going. Golf is just better wherever he is around and playing and healthy.”

And asked whether Woods could be a serious threat again, McIlroy replied: “Going by the way he played a few weeks ago in Florida, yeah.”

Rory McIlroy at Nike HQ Tuesday.

While visiting Nike HQ was invited to hit a few golf shots but then with a packed gallery watching things didn’t go quite well for the 25-year old as he sought to hit a building on their “campus” some 350 yards away. It’s not the best place to hit one of those occasional dud drives.

But that’s what McIlroy did on Tuesday at Nike headquarters, blasting his first drive during a demo toward the employee parking lot.

McIlroy posted a video to his Facebook page, poking fun of himself in the caption: “Got permission to hit golf balls at a building at Nike HQ in Oregon….first attempt didn’t go so well!!”

After the world No. 1 strikes the ball, he realizes it’s sailing off line and toward some vehicles, yelling, “Uh oh. CAR PARK!  FORE!”

However there was no word on if a windshield paid the ultimate price, but we’re sure McIlroy or Nike had it covered.