Rory McIlroy’s prowess extends beyond the golf course, with his financial success matching his sporting achievements. Fresh from securing a long-awaited Masters title and becoming only the sixth player in history – and the first European – to complete a career Grand Slam, the Northern Irishman is also making waves off the green.
In addition to clinching the fifth major of his career, the 35-year-old pocketed £3.2million ($4.2m) in prize money from the tournament. The first quarter of the year has been financially fruitful for McIlroy, who has amassed over £9m ($11.8m) from his Augusta victory and previous wins at the Players Championship and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
The Holywood-born golfer ranks second only to Tiger Woods in terms of highest career earnings in golf, with a staggering £72m ($95m) to his name. While his on-course victories have secured the financial future of several generations of his family, McIlroy has chosen to expand his legacy into the investment sector.
In 2019, he established Symphony Ventures, a Dublin-based venture capital firm focused on investing in burgeoning companies. This venture has proven immensely successful for McIlroy, with fitness tech company Whoop standing out as a particularly lucrative investment.
McIlroy, along with fellow golfer Justin Thomas, invested in the company in 2020. Whoop specialises in measuring strain, recovery, and sleep through a fitness tracker, reports the Mirror. Valued at a hefty £912m ($1.2bn) initially, the company’s worth soared to an impressive £2.7bn ($3.6bn) just a year later. The fitness sector is clearly one that McIlroy has a keen interest in, as evidenced by his investment in Future, a digital platform offering personalised fitness coaching.
Alongside Hollywood actress Kate Hudson, McIlroy backed the venture which pairs clients with top-tier coaches. Healthcare is another industry that McIlroy has invested in, notably LetsGetChecked, a service enabling customers to order medical tests directly to their homes. The range of tests includes those for sexually transmitted diseases, certain cancers, fertility issues and more.
Following a recent funding round that raised £53m ($71m), the company is expected to see a significant increase in value. With nearly two decades of professional golf under his belt, McIlroy is all too familiar with the injuries that can afflict athletes. His investment in Germany-based Kaia Health could have a substantial impact in sports medicine.
The firm develops an app designed to aid in the treatment of muscular pain. In 2022, McIlroy took on the role of founder when he teamed up with Tiger Woods and sports executive Mike McCarley to establish TMRW Sports, the organisation behind indoor golf league TGL.
Featuring players from the PGA Tour, the league’s inaugural season kicked off this year in collaboration with the PGA. It has drawn a host of celebrity investors, including F1 legend Lewis Hamilton and NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Stephen Curry.
