 |
| Getty Images |
A few weeks after Graeme McDowell broke the European hoodoo at the US Open and was embraced by his Father and manager on the eighteenth green at Pebble Beach, the same scene was virtually replayed in front of the clubhouse of Killarney Golf Club when Ross Fisher was greeted by the founder of Horizon Sports, Conor Ridge a few weeks later. Celebrating as the 2010 Irish Open winner with Fisher pocketing the highest prize money ever in the 38 year history of the event – a cheque for €500K.
Standing beside the Horizon founder that day our small talk was about all the buses coming together. Not surprisingly.
The Dublin based company had within five years been catapulted into the big time after their number one talent equalled Tony Jacklin‘s achievement at Hazeltine National golf club in June 1970. The Midas touch much in evidence, at least from the outside, as that forty year record was finally broken by McDowell on US soil. Now in Killarney that Sunday their newest recruit unexpectedly clinching the 3 Irish Open and fulfilling his promise.
That weekend the other Horizon talents did their bit too; Michael Hoey collecting a cheque for €90,000 with a 7th place finish; Shane Lowry, the 2009 Irish open winner, ending up 21st but unable to match his success at County Louth the previous summer. But still the recipient of €32,550, a nice addition to the €24,450 McDowell earned for his work. From which Horizon would retain a rate commission as normal from golfers on-course income.
At that time in terms of Irish golf the Horizon operation controlled all players of note and the future looked bright with everything the company touched turning to gold. Not unlike that Hollywood picture story featuring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jnr. Except it was a better version than Jerry Maguire. Horizon Sports were already seeing the money early doors.
Within fifteen months another US Open Champion would join them only months after spectacularly demolishing the field at Congressional on Father’s Day in June 2011. In what was a shock to his management company of the day, International Sports Management, McIlroy walked off into the sunset to join the Irish company that now boasted two major winners, both from Northern Ireland and with titles won in back to back years. The story could not have been any better if it had been made up.
Then in 2012 McIlroy hit a career run that was saw a greater level of media scrutiny, enhanced by a new relationship with WTA World Number 1 tennis player at the time, Caroline Wozniacki. A very public relationship shared in the way much of the new generation sports celebrities chose to live their lives – through social media. But one that appeared to traditionalists as a hindrance to McIlroy’s golf game and future success. A criticism that was neutralised at Kiawah Island that summer when McIlroy won this second major at the PGA Championship.
A win achieved contrary to the best pundit predictions setting McIlroy on his Major chase and hailed by Gary Player as the next golfing great.
In the FedEx Cup Rory then won the BMW Championship and The Deutsche Bank Championship, after bagging the Honda Classic earlier the same season, giving him four PGA Tour wins in the one year. All ironically just about a season after resigning his PGA Tour card when he was at ISM, in preference for the European Tour. Sadly though, within a year the same Rory McIlroy was to walk off the course inexplicably at the Honda Classic at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.
More alarm bells rang in the September when at Medinah Golf Cub Rory almost failed to arrive for his singles match on the final day. Relying on the magic of a State Trooper to get him to the tee box on time for his match against Keegan Bradley in a tense Ryder Cup. An oversight that should not have arisen for a player of his experience. Or from the cadre of the staff at Horizon and one that came very close to rendering the word “sports management” an oxymoron.
Had Team Europe lost the match on McIlroy’s disqualification it would have irreversibly tarnished a global event that has dominated the game of golf between USA and Europe for many decades.
More unease came a few months later in Dubai when the season kick-off was overshadowed by the mega sponsorship deal McIlroy had struck with Nike was announced. One that required McIlroy moving lock, stock and smoking barrel from long time partners to the one global brand.
Although a superbly lucrative deal financially, it did not come without health warnings from respected names in the game. Principally Sir Nick Faldo, who in his mellow senior years reflected on his disastrous equipment changes during a glittering career of six majors, and cautioning McIlroy to be wary.
The proof of those concerns came at the WGC Accenture Match Play event in February this year when McIlroy’s testing of the Nike equipment saw him lose his first round a match to friend, Horizon stable-mate and fellow Irishman, Shane Lowry. An event that preceded his now infamous one and half round appearance at the Honda Classic in Florida. A day from which he has failed to recover any winning form and one that for all the PR management still remains inexplicable to golfers of all levels.
It was no surprise therefore in May this year that rumours first circulated of an impending split with his management company. Proving that all that glitters is not gold.
Finally in late September the breakdown with Horizon Sports was made official, in a terse statement, just one month short of two years since McIlroy had left ISM. And as of that moment McIlroy was with his own management team and will now head to the courts to resolve the contractual difficulties for remainder of the five year deal signed with Horizon two years ago. Compounded by a new ten year deal agreed with Nike, that only started last January.
All of which can only add to the off-course headaches and potential distractions for his on-course work.
As the 21st highest paid athlete in the world last year, according to Forbes, this seems a time that McIlroy needs to walk off and just get back to playing. To really focus in order to fulfil all the promise and emulate some of the major achievements of Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus. If that is indeed what he wants to do.
Yet some worrying signs that pervaded the last year still persist and best captured by his on-going appearances on the social media network, Twitter. The latest a dinner in Dublin with US President Bill Clinton and Bono of U2, albeit in the off season. Which was followed by a round of golf with Clinton the next day and yet another picture on Twitter.
All a contrast to the more private Tiger Woods about whom it would be hard to even Google a photo playing golf with a US President, past or present. Even if it has happened on more occasions. But the work ethic of Woods is so ingrained there seems a natural reluctance to be seen relaxing and perhaps part of his psychological warfare for winning. All clearly tested when Woods personal life became very public in December 2009 and impacted his career on the course and a level of unwanted public scrutiny.
Yet a time when he relied on the modus operandi of International Management Group [IMG], the founders of sports management and set up by Mark McCormack. The man who invented the images of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in the 1960’s and what we know today as sports marketing.
Although much comparison has been made with the way Tiger Woods operates today with his agent, former IMG staffer Mark Steinberg. Or indeed Roger Federer, who also has formed his own company with the extended family after departing IMG. The comparisons with McIlroy are misguided given these two sports icons have done so in their twilight years, rather than at the dawn of their ambitions.
Federer do so with a record haul of tennis titles and a decade' dominance at Wimbledon - unlikely ever to be repeated. A similar position that Tiger holds in modern day golf with only Nicklaus’s record eluding him thus far. Ironically Nicklaus is perhaps the exception to the IMG syndrome as he decided to leave and set up his own company midway through his career.
However, when the Golden Bear left IMG in 1970 - to form his own eponymous enterprise - he was 30 years of age and had already won eight of his eighteen majors. Similarly, when Woods left IMG he was into his thirties and had demolished most records in the game by that time.
In the case of Woods the added anomaly could have been his Father, a man who saw 20 years of Army service and two tours as a Green Beret officer in Vietnam. Which it is said, forged Earl's life philosophy and may have helped develop his son's mental discipline - which has been so valuable throughout his career.
For Tiger clearly there has never been any gain without pain – regardless of his management company. It’s time now Rory found his mantra and sticks with it through thick and thin so the titles can start rolling in.
Rory should forget too the lawyers, write a cheque if needs be and then focus on gathering silverware on the golf course. There are no real winners in lengthy legal cases. Nor are there any majors to be won in the courts.
It would also allow Horizon Sports get back to the yellow brick road they seem to travel so well and focus on what they do best. Sprinkling their magic dust.
As Mark McCormack once said:
"Every transaction has a life of its own… Some need tender loving care, some need to be hurried away."
OSM - All rights reserved.
