From the moment Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy burst onto the scene in 2007, he has been compared to Tiger Woods. Just like Woods, McIlroy was a child prodigy, turning professional before age 21 and becoming one of just three players to win four major championships by age 25 (Jack Nicklaus was the third).
Like Woods, McIlroy inked a lucrative multi-year, multi-million-dollar endorsement deal from Nike (NKE) , which exponentially increased his wealth. Nike’s first commercials with Mcllroy even featured the young golfer playfully hitting balls alongside Woods, which not only positioned McIlroy as golf’s torchbearer, but also helped to remake Woods’ own scandal-tarnished image.
But McIlroy isn’t in Woods' shadow anymore. As one of the top-ranked golfers in world, McIlroy is a legend in his own right — a three-time FedEx Cup champion with one of the best swings in the game. He’s also an Olympic Golf athlete, representing Ireland at the 2024 Games in Paris.
Likable and charismatic, McIlroy has been a vocal opponent of the upstart Saudi-backed contingent LIV, earning the title of “golf's greatest asset” by Golf magazine, who even referred to him as the PGA Tour’s “Speaker of the House,” stating “When Rory speaks, everybody listens.”
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What is Rory McIlroy’s net worth?
According to Forbes, as of June 2024, McIlroy’s net worth stood at $83 million, which breaks down into $38 million from career earnings and $45 million from endorsements.
Other websites, like Celebrity Net Worth, peg his wealth much higher — eclipsing $170 million — stating he “easily” earns $40–50 million from tournament winnings and endorsements, but details are vague as to where the rest of that money comes from.
Both sources agree, however, that McIlroy’s most lucrative year on the links was in 2022, when he won the Tour Championship and claimed the FedEx Cup title for the third time in his career, earning him an $18 million prize.
It seems like the sky’s the limit as to how many millions McIlroy can make. In 2024, The Telegraph reported that as one of pro golf’s “superstars” who stuck with the PGA Tour through its crisis with LIV, McIlroy was “deservedly” awarded $50 million in equity from the PGA Tour. Woods, meanwhile, reportedly received $100 million.
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Rory McIlroy’s early life
Born May 4, 1989, on the outskirts of Belfast in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland, McIlroy showcased an aptitude for golf early on. At the tender age of two, he was hitting 40-yard drives with clubs his father sized especially for him.
His father, Gerry, a proficient golfer in his own right, worked as a bartender at the Holywood Golf Club while Rosaleen, his mother, worked at a local 3M factory. Sensing their child’s talent, they both took on extra shifts to make ends meet so that their son could learn the game and enter tournaments.
A family legend goes that once Gerry showed young McIlroy the proper way to grip a club, he began sleeping next to it at night, clutching it properly the whole while.
His sheer talent and precociousness caught the attention of a local TV station, where he demonstrated to viewers how he sank balls in his mother’s washing machine.
McIlroy still considers the Holywood Golf Club to be his home course and consults with the same golf coach, Michael Bannon, that he’s used since he was eight years old.
Rory McIlroy’s golf career and winnings
McIlroy’s first competitive victory came in 1998 when he was nine years old. He won his age bracket at the World Golf Championship at Doral Golf Resort in Miami.
He was also part of the European team that won the Junior Ryder Cup in 2004 and was the youngest winner of the Irish Close Championship in 2005.
McIlroy never attended college; he was signed to play collegiate golf at East Tennessee State University but opted instead to continue competing in Europe. In 2007, McIlroy won the European Amateur Team Championship along with his teammate, Shane Lowry, who would later play alongside him on Team Ireland in the 2024 Olympics.
At just 16 years of age, McIlroy achieved the #1 spot on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
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McIlroy turned professional at the age of 18 on September 18, 2007, becoming the youngest member in European Tour history to earn his European Tour Card. He earned roughly $300,000 in winnings that year alone.
His first major win was at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009. That year was also his first appearance at The Masters, where he made the cut and finished tied for 20th place.
With the help of physical fitness expert Dr. Steve McGregor, in 2010 Rory traded his average build and curly locks for bulging biceps and 6-pack abs. At 5 '9, McIlroy stands a few inches shorter than most other PGA players, but many believe his toned physique has made a positive impact on his game, as he averages a ball speed of 186 miles per hour and can hit drives past the 340-yard mark.
McIlroy’s first championship victory came at the 2011 U.S. Open, where he shattered scoring records previously held by Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. He also took home an estimated $1.4 million purse.
In 2012 and again in 2014, McIlroy won the PGA Championship, adding another $3.2 million to his wealth.
His last major championship victory was in 2014 at The Open Championship, which came with a $1.6 million purse.
Rory McIlroy’s endorsement deals
While it’s one thing for an athlete to excel at their game, it’s another thing entirely to be marketable. Just like Woods, McIlroy has that rare combination of success, influence, and charisma that makes him irresistible to advertisers.
In 2013, Mcllroy signed a deal with Nike for an undisclosed amount, although many believe it could have been worth upwards of $100 million. In 2017, Nike extended the deal for another 10 years. McIlroy regularly earns high marks for his tee-time fashion ensembles, all of which bear the Nike swoosh.
When Nike stopped manufacturing golf clubs and balls in 2016, McIlroy partnered with TaylorMade in a deal reportedly worth as much as $10 million per year over 10 years. He has called their Qi10 driver the “best driver he’s had.”
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McIlroy and Woods, who remain close friends in real life, partnered on TMRW Sports, a tech-focused sports platform that was valued in 2024 at $500 million.
McIlroy also teamed up with NBC Sports on Golfpass, a membership-based digital subscription service with over 2 million members, and has held sponsorship deals with Bose sound systems, Titleist, Oakley, Santander Bank, Piguet and Omega watches, and the Workday cloud-based software — all of which have, no doubt, added even more commas to his bottom line.
Related: Tiger Woods’ net worth: An in-depth look at his wealth after his breakup with Nike
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Rory McIlroy’s personal life and controversies
McIlroy’s game struggled in 2024 when he notably missed multiple short-distance putts at the U.S. Open. Afterward, he vowed to take some much-needed time off from golf.
Around the same time, his personal life started to unravel, as McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll. Later he called off the proceedings, telling The Guardian that the couple had resolved their differences.
Rumors had swirled that McIlroy had been romantically involved with CBS commentator Amanda Balionis, who had recently separated from her husband. However, US Weekly confirmed that the two were not romantically involved.
The rugged Irishman met Stoll, a former publicist and PGA staffer at the Ryder Cup in 2012. He had overslept the morning of the event, and Stoll was sent to wake him and hurry him down to the greens. Their friendship began, and a few months later, romance blossomed, and they were married on April 22, 2017. They share a daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020.
McIlroy had also been previously linked to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, although he called off their engagement in 2014 — McIlroy reportedly ended their relationship over the phone.
Rory McIlroy’s real estate holdings
According to Realtor.com, McIlroy lives large on both sides of the Atlantic:
His first home was a 14-acre estate called Robinhall House in Moneyreagh, County Down, Ireland. In addition to a putting green, it had a tennis court, fishing pond, and movie theater. He sold the estate for $3.2 million in 2014.
He bought a 10,500 square-foot “bachelor pad” in Palm Beach Gardens, Fl. For $9.5 million in 2013 and sold it for $11.9 million in 2018. It boasted a wraparound pool with swim-up bar, a trophy room to house his growing collection, and a massive weight room where the golfer bulked up before tournaments.
Currently, he and Stoll reside in a 9,000 square-foot mansion that’s part of Jack Nicklaus’ exclusive golf community, The Bear’s Club, and calls Serena and Venus Williams and Michael Jordan neighbors. McIlroy’s home has nine bedrooms, 10.5 bathrooms, a recording studio, guest house, outdoor kitchen, pool, and spa. It’s estimated to be worth more than $16 million.
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