€35m makes McIlroy Euro No 1
RORY McILROY’s runner-up finish at The Open helped him leapfrog Lee Westwood and top the European Tour’s all-time career money list with a whopping €35.1m.
The Holywood star (29) was the only player to break par in all four rounds at Carnoustie and while that was not enough to deny Francesco Molinari, the cheque for €597,050 was enough to go past Westwood in the European money stakes. It took Westwood 18 years to break the €25m barrier and overtake Ernie Els as the leader on the European Tour’s career money list, where Padraig Harrington is the next best of the Irish in seventh place with €25.3m since he turned professional 22 years ago. McIlroy (left) took just 11 years and he’s also on track to finish among the all-time top money winners on the PGA Tour, where Tiger Woods heads the list with a staggering $112,205,724 — $24m more than nearest rival Phil Mickelson.
McIlroy is already 17th in the US career money list with $39,867,490 which means his global earnings from both tours are now well over €45m, not including endorsements.
According to Forbes’ annual list of the world’s highest-paid athletes, McIlroy was 26th last year with an income of $37.7m thanks to his deals with Nike and TaylorMade, amongst others.
Following Nike’s decison to get out of the equipment business, the 10-year club, ball and bag deal he signed with TaylorMade last year was reported to be worth $100m.
Nike are still his main clothing sponsors and he signed a 10-year contract renewal with the American brand just over a year ago, estimated to be worth $200m.
McIlroy is not afraid to spend his cash, splashing out an undisclosed amount on Ernie Els’ Florida mansion last year before putting his old bachelor pad in Palm Beach Gardens up for sale for just under $13m. 1 Rory McIlroy €35,110,780; 2 Lee Westwood €34,777,910; 3 Ernie Els €28,623,680; 4 Sergio Garcia €28,051,00; 5 Henrik Stenson €27,952,674; 6 Justin Rose €25,528,845
Other Irish: 7 Pádraig Harrington €25,348,103; 15 Darren Clarke €20,541,979; 16 Graeme McDowell €19,763,669; 40 Paul McGinley €11,326,038; 103 Peter Lawrie €5,365,071; 108 Damien McGrane €4,895,670. 1 Tiger Woods $112,205,724; 2 Phil Mickelson $87,617,019; 3 Vijay Singh $70,952,528; 4 Jim Furyk $68,098,747; 5 Dustin Johnson $53,363,689; 6 Ernie Els $49,016,137.
Irish: 17 Rory McIlroy $39,867,490; 47 Pádraig Harrington $24,768,316; 104 Graeme McDowell $15,826,298; 208 Darren Clarke $8,694,752; 340 Shane Lowry $3,656,203; 479 Seamus Power $1,381,469