Until he shows up with a swoosh on his hat and Nike clubs in his bag, Rory McIlroy's much-rumored switch in golf equipment and apparel will remain the subject of discussion, confirmed or not. But such a scenario took on more credence Tuesday morning when Acushnet Co., which owns Titleist, announced in a joint statement with McIlroy that it would be parting ways with the No. 1-ranked golfer at the end of the year.

No matter where Rory McIlroy turns for his next golf club deal, one thing is certain: The pressure will be heavy on both parties, writes ESPN.com's Darren Rovell. Story

That clears the way for McIlroy to sign an endorsement deal with Nike, which various reports have cited could be worth $250 million over 10 years. And given Tiger Woods' place in the story -- willing or otherwise -- it can't help but be of interest.

McIlroy tried to downplay the talk last week at the BMW Masters, where he finished second to Peter Hanson, saying that he wanted to concentrate on his golf and that these rumors seem to arise at this time of year.

Apparently, these have more than a little merit. And given that he is just 23 years old, has won two major championships and is now the No. 1-ranked player in the world & well, he's in line for a big endorsement payday, if he so chooses.

McIlroy certainly wouldn't be the first player to cash in by switching equipment companies and won't be the last.

But the Nike involvement and Woods' longtime association with the company make the thought of such a move all the more intriguing.

First, there is the notion of changing the tools of your trade when there seems to be no competitive reason to do so. McIlroy, despite a mini-slump in the summer of 2012, has played excellent golf the past two years, rising to the top spot in the world rankings and strengthening his hold on the position in the past two months.

After winning the PGA Championship in August, he won twice more in the FedEx Cup playoffs and came up a stroke short on Sunday at the BMW Masters. With a strong finish to the season, he can win the Race to Dubai and capture the money titles of the European and PGA tours. Does he want to mess with that kind of success?

Link:
Harig: Should Rory McIlroy mess with success?