Rory McIlroy to wear colorful Nike golf shoes designed by kids impacted by cancer

We’re pretty sure the rainbow-colored Nike golf shoes Rory McIlroy will sport during this week’s Irish Open were not in the script.

McIlroy, as world No. 1, has his on-course threads planned for him months in advance. But the wonderfully colorful kicks he’ll wear at Royal County Down all four days (if he makes the cut, something he failed to do last week at Wentworth) are designs not from the pros in Beaverton, but from kids whose lives cancer has impacted.

The host of the tourney teamed up with his Rory Foundation and Northern Ireland’s Cancer Fund for Children to raise funds and awareness for children’s charities. They did so by letting four children imagine what McIlroy will lace up each day.

“I’m delighted that the young people associated with the Cancer Fund for Children got to design my shoes,” said McIlroy. “The shoes are really unique with some crazy designs. The Irish Open is going to be a very special event for golf and my foundation and I am excited to compete in them this week.”

The kids did their background research before submitting their designs. Each pair is pretty cool but Rory’s definitely saving the kickiest for Sunday’s finale.

(Photo: Nike)

“It says ‘Be You’ on my Nike shoes because that’s all you ever should be — yourself,” said 13-year-old Alex Hernaghan about the yellow, green, white and blue shoe McIlroy hopes to wear in round four. “I also added in a bit of blue as it’s my dad’s favorite color and yellow to represent the charity.”

Serving as the host of this year’s Irish Open, which will be played in Northern Ireland at the renowned Royal County Down, McIlroy is a busy guy this week, what with the promotional selfies ...

... and the game of pool he and possible rival Rickie Fowler played as a warmup to the on-course festivities slated to start on Thursday.

(Photos: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)