Rory McIlroy Partners with TPG to Launch Sports Investment Fund

Just a few weeks after winning his inaugural Masters title, golf sensation Rory McIlroy is teaming up with investment firm TPG Inc. to launch a new sports fund, reflecting the rising trend of active athletes investing in asset management.

The new venture, TPG Sports, has garnered initial backing from an investment vehicle managed by Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based entity overseeing roughly $110 billion, according to a statement issued on Thursday. However, the exact size of the fund remains undisclosed. As one of golf’s most prominent figures, McIlroy recently became only the sixth golfer in history to complete a career Grand Slam, having secured titles in the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and British Open. With career earnings surpassing $100 million—second only to Tiger Woods—McIlroy is expanding his footprint in private equity.

In 2019, McIlroy established Symphony Ventures, his own venture capital and investment arm, making over a dozen investments across diverse sectors, including golf-related businesses, insurance, and healthcare. Furthermore, he co-founded TMRW Sports, the organization behind the indoor golf league TGL, in collaboration with Tiger Woods.

TPG has been working to launch a sports-focused fund over the past year, enlisting McIlroy as an adviser. The golf star partnered with TPG in 2021 for a collaborative investment in Troon, a firm specializing in golf operations and advisory services.

Once the domain of retired athletes, the landscape is now shifting, with active stars like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Lewis Hamilton, and Cristiano Ronaldo establishing funds to manage their personal investments.

In 2023, RX3, a venture firm co-founded by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, successfully raised $150 million for its second consumer-focused growth equity fund.

TPG’s late co-founder, David Bonderman, was a principal co-owner of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken and held a minority interest in the NBA’s Boston Celtics.

Lunate is part of an investment empire operated by UAE National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan and functions as a unit of the UAE’s largest publicly traded conglomerate, International Holding Co., overseen by the Abu Dhabi royal family.

McIlroy and his business associate, Sean O’Flaherty, will act as operating partners of the new fund, a detail previously reported by the New York Times.

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