Rory McIlroy partners with TPG to launch TPG Sports investment fund

Rory McIlroy, fresh off his Masters victory, has expanded his business ventures by partnering his investment firm Symphony Ventures with TPG, a major private equity firm managing $200 billion in assets, to launch TPG Sports. McIlroy and his business partner Sean O’Flaherty will serve as operating partners in the new venture, which aims to invest across the sports industry, including collaborations with companies, teams, and leagues, and scaling sports intellectual property. The fund has received an anchor commitment from Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, further emphasizing the growing global interest in sports investment. This move aligns McIlroy with a trend among top athletes who are increasingly active in asset management and private equity, joining the likes of Tiger Woods, Steph Curry, and Lewis Hamilton. McIlroy has a track record of successful investments in sports and technology, including stakes in golf platforms, mini golf brands, and a tech-driven golf league co-founded with Woods. He describes the timing as ideal, citing the transformation and increased professionalization occurring within the sports industry.