Rory McIlroy has expressed his willingness to potentially invest in his boyhood club Manchester United.
McIlroy also expressed his support for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposed involvement with the club he has supported since childhood.
The golf star, who recently became a co-owner of the former Renault Formula One team, is currently in Austin for the US Grand Prix.
McIlroy joined a consortium that invested £175 million ($212 million) for a 24% stake in Alpine, alongside notable figures such as Anthony Joshua, Juan Mata, and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Speaking at the Circuit of Americas in Texas, the Northern Irishman discussed his recent acquisition of the Formula One team and his ongoing interest in Manchester United.
McIlroy expressed his desire to have a small ownership percentage in the club he grew up supporting.
Specifically, he mentioned how he would have loved to have a tiny fraction of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe purchased a 25 percent stake.
McIlroy also mentioned that if another opportunity arises, he would consider it, although no such opportunity has been presented to him yet.
McIlroy said: “Sports team ownership used to be limited to private equity, and people who had a ton of money. But now sports stars are becoming more savvy and using their money in the right way.”
“I would love to be able to own a tiny percentage of the club I grew up cheering on as a boy.”
“I would have loved to have taken 0.00001 percent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe took 25 percent. And if another opportunity comes my way I will look at it. But it is not something that has come across our table as of yet.”
It is worth noting that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly interested in acquiring a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United, and McIlroy has been named as a potential investor due to his affinity with the club since childhood
Rory McIlroy is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who recently finished as Europe’s top points-scorer at Marco Simone.
He achieved this feat by securing a convincing 3&1 singles win against Sam Burns on the final day, bringing his total points for the week to a personal best of four.
Who is Rory Daniel McIlroy?
Rory Daniel McIlroy is a 34-year-old Northern Irish professional golfer.
McIlroy, who is a member of both the European and PGA Tours, has previously held the position of world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking for over 100 weeks throughout his career.
He is also a four-time major champion, with victories in the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 PGA Championship, 2014 Open Championship, and 2014 PGA Championship.
Alongside Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, he belongs to the elite group of three players who have secured four major championship victories before turning 25.
McIlroy’s professional journey
McIlroy showcased his exceptional talent during his amateur career, reaching the pinnacle of the World Amateur Golf Ranking for a brief period at the age of 17 in 2007.
Shortly after, he embarked on his professional journey, promptly establishing his presence on the European Tour.
In 2009, he clinched his first European Tour win, followed by his inaugural PGA Tour triumph in 2010.
At a mere 22 years old in 2011, McIlroy became the youngest golfer in history to accumulate €10 million in career earnings on the European Tour.
He further etched his name in the record books by becoming the youngest player to reach a career total of $10 million on the PGA Tour in 2012.
Throughout his golfing career, McIlroy has had the privilege of representing Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland in both amateur and professional capacities.
He has participated in multiple Ryder Cup tournaments, competing for Team Europe against the United States in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023.
Notably, Europe emerged victorious in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, and 2023. Acknowledging his remarkable achievements both individually and as part of a team, McIlroy has been honored as the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year twice in 2011 and 2014