The hottest property in professional golf.
2011 US Open champion Rory McIlroy has officially parted ways with manager Chubby Chandler and International Sports Management. The 22-year-old will instead join close friend Graeme McDowell and friend of the blog Michael Hoey at Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management.
Though the youngster’s departure clearly delivers something of a body blow to Chandler’s operation, ISM’s official statement was a gracious one:
“Onward and upwards. We have had a quite brilliant year. The company is growing and adapting to ensure it stays at the forefront of golf and the business of managing players. We wish Rory every success.”
Read more on this story at The Score.
Conor Nagle
(AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
The real question is why. If Chubby wasn’t giving Rory enough attention he’s an idiot. Wondering if this has something to do with Rory’s decision to play in America next year. Regardless Rory seems to be making a lot of changes since his US Open win.
Trouble in paradise at Camp chubby. First Els, now Rory. all within a month. Would not be surprised to Louis and Charl defect as well. South Africans were not too happy about George ‘Chubby’ O’Grady moving the South African Open to a conflicting date with Presidents Cup. (since re-scheduled)
Who cares? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
People, don’t forget that Chubby is no longer in control of ISM. It is not Chubby’s agency anymore. The players loyalty lay with Chubby, not the new owners.
Great job by the people at Horizon to get Rory. This definitely has GMac’s fingerprints all over it.
I read in Golfdigest that Chubby makes players do tons of global social functions because that’s his style. It wouldn’t surprise me if all that traveling wore them out. At the end of the day, who wouldn’t take less commitments and more money if you’re the top players in the world. This really sucks for chubby because in the magazine he said that the only thing he doesn’t want to do with Rory is to wear him out, but I guess he did.
Dead right FTD…more to follow????????
IGN, damn right there’s more to follow, lots more.
S. Beach, Chubby can’t make a player do anything. He presents them with offers, they say yes or no. Nobody offered Rory more money for less commitments. The reason Rory moved is because Chubby no longer owns the agency.
Chubby hasn’t owned the agency in over a year, and players are loyal to the agent not the owner anyways, Chubby is still the agent.
That being said I wouldn’t be surprised to see more people leave but I’m guessing that has more to do with friction with Chubby and his visibility/goals than who owns the agency.