McIlroy changes schedule due to pending lawsuit
Rory McIlroy announced on Monday that he will be skipping two China-based tournaments he had previously planned to play due to a pending lawsuit.
“I’m going to need time away from tournament golf to prepare for the trial over my legal dispute with Horizon Sports Management,” McIlroy, the current world No.1, said in a statement. “The court-mediated process failed over the weekend to resolve the issue.”
McIlroy intended on playing the BMW Masters in Shanghai, China on the European Tour that begins October 30. He was expected to tee it up the following week in the WGC-HSBC Champions event, which is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and European Tour.
McIlroy said his schedule will resume November 20-23 at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, the European Tour’s season-ending event.
In the lawsuit, McIlroy claims he was misled by Horizon and its leading agent, Conor Ridge, who were “primarily concerned with maximising their own share of any commission.”
McIlroy also claims fellow Northern Irishman and former Horizon client Graeme McDowell received preferential treatment in his contracts with Horizon, when, according to McIlroy, he was told he would get the same terms. The case is expected to go to trial in February.
Among the sticking points between McIlroy and Horizon is the commission from a $100 million deal Horizon negotiated with Nike.
McIlroy recently won the PGA Tour and PGA of America’s Player of the Year Award for 2014 after winning the year’s final two majors at The Open and US PGA Championship.
This article originally appeared on ESPN.com
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