It’s Rory Rich! McIlroy overcomes disappointing year to become Ireland’s richest sportsman

Business is going pretty well for Rory McIlroy, Inc.

McIlroy might have dropped to third in golf's world ranking after a year in which he failed to win a major, lost a key stretch of the season to an injury suffered playing football, and seen Jordan Spieth and Jason Day seize the spotlight, but the Ulsterman's bank balance hasn't suffered. Quite the opposite in fact, with today's Sunday Independent Rich List rating McIlroy as Ireland's richest sportsman*. The 26-year-old's off course earning power continues to grow, and a huge estimated increase in his personal wealth of €31million sees McIlroy's total wealth rise to €99million, good for 134th in the overall list. Forbes estimates McIlroy is the 12th highest paid athlete in the world with gross earnings of more than €44million, the bulk of which comes from his €160million sponsorship deal with Nike. Second and third on the list both made their names in Formula One, with Eddie Irvine (€78million) and Eddie Jordan (€65million) both investing their motor racing fortunes well. Ex-Ferrari driver Irvine has become a global property magnate, while his former boss Jordan, who sold his F1 team just over a decade ago, has profited from hedge fund and other investments. The final sports star in the top 300 is Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane, whose bumper €4million-plus salary at the LA Galaxy lifted his wealth to €38million, some of which the Dubliner has invested in making Hollywood films including Avatar and Planet of the Apes. *There are, of course, others much higher in the list who have been or are involved in sport, such as Ryanair boss and racehorse owner Michael O'Leary and Celtic owner Dermot Desmond, but the bulk of their wealth comes from outside the world of sport.