Rory McIlroy is a Northern Irish professional golfer who was born on May 4, 1989, in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland.
He is a member of both the European Tour and the PGA Tour and has been a former world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, spending over 100 weeks in that position during his career.
Rory is a four-time major champion, having won the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship and 2014 PGA Championship.
He has also won 24 PGA Tour events, including four major championships, one Players Championship, three World Golf Championships, six FedEx Cup playoff events and ten other PGA Tour events.
Rory’s amateur career was also successful, as he topped the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007.
He turned professional later that year and quickly established himself on the European Tour, with his first win on the European Tour in 2009 and on the PGA Tour in 2010.
In 2011, at the age of 22, Rory became the youngest player ever to reach €10 million in career earnings on the European Tour.
| Net worth | $170 million |
| Date of birth | May 4, 1989 |
| Profession | Professional golfer |
| Nationality | American |
Background
Rory was born to Gerry and Rosaleen McIlroy.
Gerry was a bartender at the Holywood Golf Club from noon to midnight and his mother, Rosaleen, worked the night shift in a factory.
Rory’s parents made significant sacrifices to support his passion for golf, working multiple jobs and giving up their own time to ensure he had the opportunity to pursue his dream.
Gerry played a significant role in introducing his son to golf and fostering his love for the sport.
Rory has often spoken about the sacrifices his parents made, expressing his gratitude and desire to give back to them.
Rory’s parents instilled in him a strong work ethic and the belief that hard work leads to success, which has shaped him into the person he is today.
He is proud of his Northern Irish heritage and often speaks about the impact his upbringing has had on his life and career.
Net worth
Rory has an estimated net worth of $170 million.
He has accumulated his net worth through tournament winnings, endorsement deals and business ventures.Â
Rory has earned over $120m from the PGA Tour and €50m from the European Tour, thanks to his successful golfing career.
His marketability and influence have attracted companies eager to associate their products with his success, leading to lucrative endorsement deals.
In addition to tournament winnings and endorsements, Rory has also invested in properties in various locations, which have appreciated over time, adding to his net worth.
He has launched his own line of golf apparel and equipment, capitalizing on his reputation and expertise in the sport.
Rory is also actively involved in philanthropy through his foundation and charity events.
He spends his wealth on real estate, luxury items and philanthropy, demonstrating a commitment to giving back to the community and supporting meaningful causes.
Salary and contracts
Rory earned $80 million in 2023, with a 50/50 split in on and off-course earnings, making him the third highest-paid golfer of the year.
The combined amount of the highest earners reached just shy of $1.1 billion, with the value of the top 10 rising 16% since the 2022 figures were released.
The specific details of Rory’s contracts and salary are not publicly known.
Publicly available information also mention the impending merger of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, which could have significant implications for the salaries and contracts of golfers.
Some players have expressed their opposition to LIV Golf, while others have joined the league and expressed their satisfaction with it.
The merger could lead to changes in the way golfers are compensated and the structure of the sport, but the specifics of these changes are not yet clear.
Tournament winnings
Rory has had a successful career in golf, earning significant amounts from tournament winnings and endorsements.
Throughout his career, he has amassed a total of $125,147,336, with annual earnings primarily coming from endorsements, estimated at $40-50 million per year.
Rory’s career earnings average around $4,630,111 per year, with his best year being 2013-14 when he earned $8,280,096.
In 2023, he earned $7,301,566 so far.
Notable victories include the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship and 2014 PGA Championship.
Additionally, in 2021, Rory won the CJ Cup at The Summit Club in Las Vegas and successfully defended his title at the RBC Canadian Open in June.
His recent achievements in 2024 include winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and finishing tied for second in the Dubai Invitational.
Endorsement deals
Rory has secured numerous endorsement deals and sponsorships that have significantly contributed to his earnings.
He has endorsement deals with TaylorMade, Nike, NBC Sports/Golf Pass, Omega and Optum.
These deals earn him around $34 million annually.
In 2013, Rory signed a $100 million to $250 million endorsement contract with Nike, which was extended in 2017 for 10 more years for $200 million.
He also has a $10 million per year endorsement deal with TaylorMade for 10 years, which began in 2017.
Rory has also been associated with brands like UnitedHealth Group and Upper Deck.
TMRW Sports
TMRW Sports is a technology-focused sports venture founded in 2022 by golfers Tiger Woods and Rory, along with sports media executive Mike McCarley.
The company’s mission is to positively impact how sports are experienced in the future, with a focus on harnessing technology to create progressive approaches to sports.
TMRW Sports has attracted a wide array of investors from the sports, entertainment.and technology worlds, including Justin Timberlake, Serena Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Tony Romo, Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, Shohei Ohtani and Sidney Crosby.
The company’s first project is TGL, a tech-infused golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour.
TGL will feature teams of three PGA Tour players competing in primetime matches from a custom-built venue, with a data-rich, virtual course and tech-infused short-game complex.
The league will consist of 15 regular season Monday night matches, followed by semifinals and finals matches, starting in January 2024.
The TGL is designed to attract a broader audience to golf, particularly younger and more diverse fans, by tapping into the appeal of team golf within an exciting, fan-friendly environment.
It will also serve as another avenue to introduce people to the game of golf that Woods and Rory love.
The TGL will feature six teams of three PGA Tour players, with Woods and Rory committed to compete in the 15-match first season.
The league will provide fans with a high-energy, greenside fan experience, with every shot live within a 2-hour, primetime televised match.
The venue will be a first-of-its-kind experience for golf, enabling a tech-infused, short-game complex and a tech-enabled fan experience.
The TGL is viewed as a direct response to the threat posed by LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed rebel venture that has received criticism for its 54-hole formats and lack of high-quality competition.
However, the financial rewards on offer have led to a growing number of high-profile defectors.
The TGL is designed to dissuade more players from choosing the riches and lighter schedule of LIV Golf over the traditional tours.
Career achievements
Rory has had a remarkable career marked by numerous achievements and milestones.
By age nine, he was already displaying exceptional talent, winning the 1998 Doral Junior Under-10 World Championship in Miami.
Turning professional at 18 in 2007, Rory quickly rose through the ranks, securing his European Tour card in his first year as a pro.
His first European Tour win came in 2009 at the Dubai Desert Classic, propelling him to the 16th spot in the world rankings.
Rory’s major championship victories include the US Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012 and the Open Championship in 2014.
Notably, he became one of three men, alongside Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus, to win four majors by the age of 25.
In the world rankings, Rory has spent over 100 weeks as the world’s number one golfer.
His talent and dedication have earned him widespread recognition and accolades, including being named RTE Sports Person of the Year twice.
PGA Tours
Rory has expressed his vision for a more global golf tour.
In a February 2024 interview, he outlined his ‘dream scenario’ for a global golf tour that would include the best players and span around 24 events worldwide.
The tour would encompass the four majors and 20 limited-field tournaments, similar to the Genesis Invitational.
Rory envisions this tour as a single entity for the top 80 players in the world, with a structure similar to the Champions League in European football, where all other leagues feed up into it.
His idea could potentially gain traction as the PGA Tour plots a new future as a for-profit entity with private equity investors expecting a return on their investment.
The involvement of Saudi Arabia in the newly-created business could also play a role in the implementation of this global golf tour.
Rory emphasized the importance of convincing players to buy into the idea, as aligning everyone’s interests and convincing them that it is best for the game of golf as a whole would be crucial for its success.
His career as a golfer has been marked by numerous victories and accolades.Â
Rory has won 24 PGA Tour events, including major championships such as the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.Â
He has also won the European Tour Golfer of the Year award three times (2012, 2014, 2023) and the PGA Tour Player of the Year award three times (2012, 2014, 2023).
Additionally, Rory has won the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award for lowest scoring average four times (2012, 2014, 2022, 2023).
He has employed various professional golfers as mentors and coaches throughout his career, including Darren Clarke, Nick Faldo, Graeme McDowell and Dave Stockton.
Rory has also worked with putting coach Brad Faxon since 2018.
He was previously managed by Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler and is currently managed by Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management.
Michael Bannon has been working with Rory since his childhood and became his full-time coach in 2012.
Awards and accolades
Rory has won numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including four major championships: the 2011 U.S. Open, the 2012 PGA Championship, the 2014 Open Championship and the 2014 PGA Championship.
He is one of only three players to win four majors by the age of 25, along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
In 2012, Rory had a particularly successful year, winning the PGA Tour money list, PGA Player of the Year, PGA Tour Player of the Year, Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award.
He also won the Race to Dubai and was voted the European Tour Golfer of the Year.
Additionally, Rory won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in the year (28 of 52 weeks) and a Laureus World Sports Award in the category Breakthrough of the Year.
In 2014, he again swept the PGA Tour awards: Arnold Palmer Award (leading money winner), PGA Player of the Year, PGA Tour Player of the Year, Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award.
Rory also won the Race to Dubai and was voted the European Tour Golfer of the Year.
He again won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in the year (22 of 52 weeks).
Rory was awarded the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for the second time, previously winning in 2011 and the BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year for the third time after victories in 2011 and 2012.
He also came 2nd in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, behind Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
In 2015, Rory was shortlisted for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.
He has also been honored with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2012.
In addition to his individual achievements, Rory has also been a member of several Ryder Cup-winning teams, including in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2023.
He has been praised for his skill and early success in the sport, as well as his philanthropy and contributions to the game of golf.
Controversies
Rory has been involved in several controversies throughout his career.
In 2009, he downplayed the importance of the Ryder Cup, stating that it was not a major goal of his and that it was just an exhibition.
This comment caused a stir among golf fans and fellow players, who view the Ryder Cup as a significant event in the sport.
In 2016, Rory decided not to participate in the Olympics due to concerns about the Zika virus, but later suggested that he didn’t think golf was a significant enough sport to be included in the Olympics, which drew criticism from fans and fellow players.
In 2013, he withdrew from the Honda Classic after shooting a 7-over-par 77 in the second round, which was criticized by some as being unprofessional.
In 2017, Rory faced criticism for playing golf with then-US President Donald Trump, which many viewed as an endorsement of Trump’s controversial policies and behavior.
In 2024, he was involved in two rules controversies during the first round of the Players Championship.
At the 18th hole, Rory dropped his ball in the wrong place after hitting it into the water and at the 7th hole, he and his playing partners, Jordan Spieth and Viktor Hovland, had a lengthy discussion about where his ball had crossed the water hazard line before he dropped it.
Personal life
Rory is married to Erica Stoll, an American woman from New York.
They met at the 2012 Ryder Cup, where Stoll, working for the PGA, helped Rory get to the course on time after he overslept.
They tied the knot in April 2017 at Ashford Castle in Ireland, with a guest list including Chris Martin, Niall Horan and performances by Stevie Wonder and Ed Sheeran.
Stoll is known for her low-key nature, enjoying sailing and watching The Bachelor.
She prefers to stay out of the limelight and away from cameras.
In August 2020, Rory and Stoll welcomed their daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy.
Rory shared their joy on Instagram with a photo of Poppy’s hand holding his finger.
Before Stoll, Rory was engaged to professional tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, but they ended their relationship less than five months after announcing their engagement in 2014.
