Rory McIlroy is Quietly Building An Empire
A look at Rory McIlroy's Symphony Ventures.
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Hey Golfers —
I have a hard time understanding how Rory McIlroy does it — there is only so much time in a day.
Rory was recently quoted as saying that he wants to reduce his schedule to 18 to 20 events in 2025. He is scheduled to play in 27 events this year. In 2024, Rory will play professional golf tournaments in seven countries and three continents.
Playing in 27 events is being on the road for more than half the year. And it’s not like when professional golfers are at home, they aren’t working. They are.
During his career, Rory has racked up over $90 million in PGA Tour earnings.
That number doesn’t include any bonuses — he’s made over $40 million in FedEx Cup bonuses alone since 2016. That $90 million also excludes DP World Tour and off-course earnings.
The point? Rory has done very well financially.
And he’s quietly parlayed those earnings into building an investment empire.
At the heart of his investment strategy is Symphony Ventures, a firm McIlroy co-founded in 2019. Symphony has made significant waves recently, with their latest high-profile move being a $250 million investment in TickPick, a no-fee ticket marketplace.
The deal, led by Brighton Park Capital, is just one of many that showcase McIlroy’s knack for identifying growth sectors beyond golf. How much Symphony Ventures invested in TickPick was not disclosed.
Now, golfers rarely (LIV is the unique exception) sign contracts worth $100 million like those of NFL, MLB, or NBA stars. They don’t have guaranteed money coming in season after season. Yet, according to Sportico, three of the six highest-paid athletes of all time are golfers (yes, we checked—it’s true).
Here’s a look at the inflation-adjusted earnings.
Tiger Woods — $2.66 billion
Arnold Palmer — $1.76 billion
Jack Nicklaus — $1.67 billion
Here’s the thing — these golfers didn’t just stack up prize money — they invested wisely, leveraging their status to gain ownership stakes, partnerships, and equity in ventures that are now worth hundreds of millions.
At the top of the list is Woods, who has earned $2.66 billion throughout his career, largely from endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Rolex, and Monster Energy. Woods’ business savvy, from course design to equity stakes in golf ventures like PopStroke, has helped him far surpass his earnings on the course.
Then there’s Palmer, who raked in $1.76 billion — not just from golf but from his legendary business ventures. Palmer turned his charm into brand power, licensing his name for products like the iconic Arnold Palmer drink and designing over 300 golf courses worldwide.
Nicklaus, with $1.67 billion in career earnings, followed a similar path. He has built over 400 courses globally. Like Palmer, Nicklaus used his brand to create an empire that extends far beyond the game.
These golfers didn’t just rely on prize money—they made their fortunes by investing wisely and building businesses that capitalized on their legacy
Rory checks in at 30th in Sportico’s ranking — earning an estimated $670 million (inflation-adjusted) throughout his career
McIlroy is no different than the trio mentioned above. He’s been playing the long game, investing across a range of industries, from golf tech to health and wellness.
A couple of notes about Rory’s investments.
TMRW Sports recently raised a Series A investment valuing the company at $500 million.
He invested in Whoop when it was valued at $1.3 billion, a year later it was valued at $3.6 billion.
When all is said and done — Rory has a very good chance to outpace Tiger in becoming the wealthiest golfer of all time.
Rory has essentially become a full-time investor. Add this to his schedule of competing professionally globally, commitments to sponsors, and his involvement in TMRW Sports. It is easy to understand why he is focused on playing fewer events in 2025.
Have a great Monday. We will talk to you next week!
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