Jumeirah's Rory McIlroy at the US Open.

For anyone who follows golf, June 19, 2011 will be remembered as Rory McIlroy Day, thanks to the charming, unaffected 22-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland who won the US Open with a spectacular 16-under-par 268.

Since high-end golf pros double as billboards at tournaments, the US Open’s other big winner was Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, which counts McIlroy as its Global Brand Ambassador. A winning golfer sporting a logo at a major is the next best thing to a TV ad during the Superbowl. Small wonder the Dubai-based hotel group, whose properties include Dubai’s iconic Burj al Arab and New York’s Jumeirah Essex House, prominently featured McIlroy and his trophy on its Web site the day after the big win.

Jumeirah’s portfolio includes international golf properties in addition to hotels. (more…)