Rory McIlroy’s official unveiling with sports giant Nike took on an Academy Award presentation proportions with the World No.1 denying his reputed $200m deal is about the money. 

Nearly two dozen TV cameras and some 200 invited guests and media waited impatiently for confirmation of golf’s worst-kept secret. 

With Abu Dhabi’s 80-dome Grand Mosque lit up in the distance McIlroy finally stepped onto a platform leading from the edge of one of the many Arabian Gulf fed waterways in the UAE capital and them emerging from a dazzling lazer show to be introduced by Cindy David, President of Nike Golf. 

“Today marks a significant moment for our brand and our golf business, and for the career of an extraordinary young athlete,” said Page. 

Nike’s Cindy David with the company’s latest signing, Rory McIlroy. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

“We could not be more thrilled with tonight’s announcement. 

“The beginning of 2013 for us is one of the most exciting times since Tiger Woods joined the ‘Swoosh’.” 

When Woods signed on as Nike’s first-ever staff golfer in late 1996 he signed a deal rumoured to be worth $43m while McIlroy’s sign on deal appears to be in the region of $200m.

It is one of the biggest-ever in sport but with Nike and McIlroy declining to comment on terms.

However the 23-year old, who grew up in humble surrounds in suburban Belfast, said it wasn’t about the money.”

“I don’t play golf for the money as I am well past that,” he said.

“I am Major Champion that I have always dreamed of being and I am World No. 1 as I have always dreamed of being, and really Nike is company that can help me sustain that.

“So I play for Major titles, not the money.”

However while former sponsor, Oakley is reported to be suing for breach of contract, McIlroy’s golf bag will also sport the logo of sponsor, Santander and the Spanish bank he signed a deal with just prior to joining Horizon Sports.

Also on his bag is the logo of the first of six charities McIlroy will carry up to and including the Masters in a move to help under privledged children.

To officially welcome him into the Nike family guests were shown a video clip from fellow ‘Swoosh’ stars Wayne Rooney, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods.

Federer commented:  “Hey Rory. How you doing?  I am very excited that you are joining Nike.  I talked to you in Sao Paulo and we know you can do great things.  You are a wonderful golfer and it’s a great sport you play and maybe if you can teach me some golf tricks I can give you some tennis lessons and advice on the men’s tour.  Do you know what I mean”

Woods and McIlroy also will feature in a new Nike ad screening worldwide from Wednesday that has the duo trying to outdo each other with trick shots.  But at the end of the ad it is the 14-time Major winning Woods who still comes up trumps.

McIlroy has been testing his next clubs since late last year when he ‘secretly’ visited ‘The Oven’ as Nike affectionately refer to their test and equipment headquarters in Forth Worth, Texas.

Included in his bag is the new Nike Crimson ‘Covert’ driver that Scotland’s Scott Jamieson has used to finish third, first and second in his first three events of the 2013 Race to Dubai.

“I went down to ‘The Oven’ just before Christmas and I was just blown away by research and the development that goes into the clubs,” he said.

“I knew also that as soon as I hit the new Covert driver that it would be going straight into my bag for this week.  It’s just an awesome driver but I am really excited about the equipment and I couldn’t be more happy about what’s in the bag.

“The driver just blew me away as my ball speed was up and my spin rate was butter and I am hitting the ball further and well over 300 yards.  I thought I was hitting the ball a long way but this new driver has taken my game to a new level, so that’s great.

McIlroy confirmed also he will use the Nike ‘Method’ putter and declined to entertain comment when he asked if the putter didn’t work to his favour would he return to his double Major winning Scotty Cameron puter.

However there’s one item remaining in McIlroy’s bag that was a permanent feature since he turned pro with Titleist clubs and bag and that is his now ragged looking old dog head-cover.

And long-time caddy, J P Fitzgerald was in the audience wearing Nike attire.

McIlroy will take his news clubs into battle for a first time this year facing now Nike team mate, Woods in this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.