Unbelievable Wealth Gap: Tiger Woods vs. Rory McIlroy at Royal Troon
Unbelievable Wealth Gap: Tiger Woods vs. Rory McIlroy at Royal Troon
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are both titans of the golfing world, yet their financial fortunes are worlds apart as they vie for glory at Royal Troon.
Woods, hailing from Florida, turned professional in 1996 at the young age of 20, making an immediate impact in the golf world. Within a year, he claimed his first major win at the 1997 Masters at Augusta National, triumphing over Tom Kite by an astonishing 12 strokes and finishing with a record-breaking score of -18. By June 1997, less than a year after turning pro, Woods had ascended to the world No. 1 ranking, a title he held consecutively for 264 weeks from 1999 to 2004. Throughout his career, Woods has accumulated an impressive array of trophies, including five Masters, four PGA Championships, three US Opens, and three Open Championships.
But Woods’ success has extended far beyond the golf course. His profitable sponsorships with brands like Nike and Monster Energy, along with being the face of EA Sports’ PGA Tour titles from 1998 to 2013, have significantly bolstered his wealth. According to Forbes, Woods’ real-time net worth is estimated at $1.3 billion (£1 billion), a staggering sum that dwarfs the financial standing of his professional rival, Rory McIlroy.
McIlroy, who turned professional at just 18 in 2007, quickly rose to prominence with major wins such as the 2011 US Open and the 2012 PGA Championship, propelling him to the world No. 1 spot. The Northern Irish golfer has since added an Open Championship and a second PGA Championship to his accolades in 2014, amassing 26 PGA Tour wins, 17 European Tour victories, and three World Golf Championships along the way. Despite his last major victory being the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla, McIlroy has remained a formidable force in the golfing arena, narrowly missing out on a second US Open last month to Bryson DeChambeau.
Similar to Woods, McIlroy has enjoyed lucrative sponsorships, partnering with prominent brands such as Nike, Omega, and TaylorMade. EA Sports even replaced Woods with McIlroy for their 2015 edition of the PGA Tour video game, enhancing McIlroy’s fame and fortune. Despite these achievements, McIlroy’s reported net worth stands at $255 million (£196 million), which is only a fraction of Woods’ vast fortune.
This week, Woods and McIlroy will face off at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon, each striving to add another major title to their illustrious careers. Woods, who has won The Open three times but never at Troon, will play the first two rounds with Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. Meanwhile, McIlroy, whose sole Open Championship victory was in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, will be playing alongside Max Homa and Tyrell Hatton, hoping to end a decade-long major drought.
As these two golfing legends compete for the coveted title at Royal Troon, their divergent financial paths underscore the extraordinary impact of their careers both on and off the course.
