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The golf world has been left scratching their heads after seeing Rory McIlroy play a round with an influencer in Singapore. McIlroy, 37, was recently criticised by many for competing in the DP World India Championship in New Delhi, an appearance which reportedly banked him around £7.48m. Earlier in the year, McIlroy said he was going to pick and choose his events, but his recent appearance at Singapore's Sentosa Golf Club, where he played with golf influencer Becca De Foe, has perked curiosity. In the background, McIlroy's primary equipment sponsor, TaylorMade, is being eyed by private equity firm 'The Sylvan Group' who, in combination with Reignwood Group, is exploring a bid.
It's understood a potential sale could be worth between £1.87billion ($2.5billion) and £2.09bn ($2.8bn). In addition, the Singapore Open is also expected to make a return to the DP World Tour schedule next year. During his visit to the South East Asian country, McIlroy also promoted the Paiza Golf Simulator Challenge, which is organised by Marina Bay Sands.
Considering McIlroy's previous pledge to be more selective about the events he appears at and the potential purchase of TaylorMade, the timing of the Northern Irishman's visit is intriguing.
The Korea Economic Daily has claimed Reignwood, who are based in Chinese, and The Sylvan Group, are considering tabling a bid for the company. Reignwood also owns Surrey based course Wentworth, which is the home of the BMW PGA Championship and DP World Tour's headquarters.
McIlroy and his wife Erica are also the owners of a property at Wentworth, which he recently purchased. At present, there is no confirmation about McIlroy having any involvement or influence in the future of TaylorMade.
Currently, South Korean private equity firm Centroid Investment Partners own Taylormade and have done so since 2021. However, the company made the brand available for potential investors.
This was made clear by TaylorMade president and CEO David Abeles, who recently told Sports Business Radio the company is “in a process right now of exploring strategic options for the future of the company” while also adding there has been significant interest in the company.
Interestingly, any sale would also include Tiger Woods' golf apparel brand Sun Day Red, who partnered with TaylorMade in 2024. Any company who purchases TaylorMade would also pick up Woods' company, which he launched shortly after splitting with Nike in 2024, as part of the deal.
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