Sean O'Flaherty
European Tour, SponsorshipBrian KeoghRory McIlroy Incorporated, Rory McIlroy, Conor Ridge, Horizon Sports Management, Sean O'Flaherty, Donal CaseyComment

Huge hit worth the pain as McIlroy looks to new horizons

Rory McIlroy’s out of court settlement with his former agents brings to mind that scene from Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” when the kindly Roman centurion is lining up the locals for execution.

“Crucifixion?”

“No, freedom actually.”

European Tour, SponsorshipBrian KeoghRory McIlroy Incorporated, Rory McIlroy, Conor Ridge, Horizon Sports Management, Sean O'Flaherty, Donal CaseyComment
Huge hit worth the pain as McIlroy looks to new horizons
PGA Tour, Sponsorship, Golf businessBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Rory McIlroy Incorporated, Horizon Sports Management, Donal Casey, Gerry McIlroy, Sean O'Flaherty, Stephen Browne, Colin Morrissey, Unicef, Caroline Wozniacki, Dermot DesmondComment

Claim that Wozniacki told McIlroy that UNICEF donation was "stupid"

Did Caroline Wozniacki play a role in one of the key events that led to the legal bust up between Rory McIlroy and Horizon Sports Management? On the face of what was said in the High Court in Dublin on Friday, the world No 1’s former fiancée was not short of an opinion on what is one of the major events in the proceedings — a supposedly face-saving donation made to UNICEF by Horizon on McIlroy's behalf but against McIlroy’s wishes.

PGA Tour, Sponsorship, Golf businessBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Rory McIlroy Incorporated, Horizon Sports Management, Donal Casey, Gerry McIlroy, Sean O'Flaherty, Stephen Browne, Colin Morrissey, Unicef, Caroline Wozniacki, Dermot DesmondComment
Claim that Wozniacki told McIlroy that UNICEF donation was "stupid"
Sponsorship, Majors, PGA TourBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Horizon Sports Management, Donal Casey, Sean O'Flaherty, Conor Ridge, Colin Morrissey, JP Fitzgerald, Dermot DesmondComment

Rory, the T-Rex, the Kaiser, the goose, the gander and the golden egg

Who could have imagined that the signing of a $100 million, five-year endorsement deal with Nike in January 2013 would coincide with an acrimonious management break up just months later that is now the subject of a multimillion euro legal case.

Sponsorship, Majors, PGA TourBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Horizon Sports Management, Donal Casey, Sean O'Flaherty, Conor Ridge, Colin Morrissey, JP Fitzgerald, Dermot DesmondComment
Rory, the T-Rex, the Kaiser, the goose, the gander and the golden egg
European Tour, MajorsBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Rory McIlroy Incorporated, Donal Casey, Barbara Iseli, Barry Funston, Sean O'Flaherty, JP Fitzgerald, Stephen Browne, Paul McGinley, Horizon Sports Management, Terry ProneComment

McIlroy's loyalty to his entourage key to his focus

European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley singled out Rory McIlroy’s loyalty and single mindedness as key to his incredible dominance this season.

European Tour, MajorsBrian KeoghRory McIlroy, Rory McIlroy Incorporated, Donal Casey, Barbara Iseli, Barry Funston, Sean O'Flaherty, JP Fitzgerald, Stephen Browne, Paul McGinley, Horizon Sports Management, Terry ProneComment
McIlroy's loyalty to his entourage key to his focus
European TourBrian KeoghGUI National Academy, Gerry McIlroy, JP Fitzgerald, Rory McIlroy, Sean O'Flaherty

McIlroy and team hit GUI Academy

Rory McIlroy hits balls at the GUI National Academy at Carton House, just outside Dublin. Rory McIlroy (pictured above) was back in Ireland on Sunday for a quiet practice session at the Golfing Union of Ireland’s National Academy at Carton House.
European TourBrian KeoghGUI National Academy, Gerry McIlroy, JP Fitzgerald, Rory McIlroy, Sean O'Flaherty