By SAM CROCKER
Managing Editor
The world’s number one golfer, Rory McIlroy, has settled a dispute with his former sports agency for what is believed to be over $20 million plus court costs. McIlroy had been suing Horizon Sports Management for charging excessive fees over his sponsorship deal with Nike, said to be worth around $100 million. Horizon counter-sued for outstanding fees as well as breaches of contract and future earnings lost.
McIlroy did not attend court in Dublin, Ireland on Wednesday, but a joint statement made by the two parties said that the dispute had been “settled to the satisfaction of both parties who wish each other well for the future.” Golf’s number one had been in negotiations until 9 p.m. on Tuesday to hammer out a deal which has caused both parties extreme inconvenience for nearly two years. It would have been a particularly tough time to be engaged off the golf course for McIlroy, because he will be competing in the Masters at Augusta National in less than three months.
Horizon boss Conor Ridge was visibly relieved when Irish high court judge Brian Cregan announced the case was officially settled after just 37 seconds. If the case had not been settled, McIlroy and his opponents would have endured an eight-week hearing.
The terms of the settlement were not listed in court, but a source close to the case said that the settlement was for over $20 million. Whilst it may taint McIlroy’s reputation, it certainly isn’t likely to harm his wallet in the long term, given that he is speculated to earn over $500 million in the next 20 years. McIlroy taunted his opponents by posting a photo on Instagram late on Wednesday of his berth on a private jet at Dublin Airport.
The question on every golf fan’s mind at the moment, though, is: can Rory be more successful than Tiger? The 25-year-old from Northern Ireland won the Dubai Desert Classic two weeks ago, and has now achieved four wins and three second-place finishes in his last seven European Tour events.
McIlroy is the favorite to win the Masters this year and become the youngest player ever to win all of Golf’s major trophies. I think that if anyone can beat Woods’s record of 14 majors, it’s McIlroy. Over the past three years, he has been a class above any other golfer in the world and he only seems to be improving. Moreover, whilst Woods appears to have lost his winning ways, marred by scandal and injury, McIlroy has at least another twenty years of golf to play, giving him plenty of time to catch Woods.
