The Jumeirah Group is not renewing its five-year sponsorship deal with top-ranked Rory McIlroy amid expectations that the Northern Ireland golf star will sign with Nike next week.

World number three and US Open champion Rory McIlroy has ended his association with management company International Sports Management, they announced today.

Irish golfer Rory McIlroy credits Jack Nicklaus with helping him secure his breakthrough win in America, so would love nothing more than winning Nicklaus' own tournament this week.

ERNIE Els, Pádraig Harrington, both three times major championship winners, are here. So, too, Lee Westwood, the European number one and three other members of the world’s top 10 including Ian Poulter and Paul Casey.

Rory McIlroy has laughed off his slide out of the world's top 10 but the world number 11 is becoming frustrated with his inability to convert a string top-five finishes into a second career title.