McIlroy and Faldo on Sunday Times Richlist

The 2015 Sunday Times Rich List is out on Sunday and two golfers are on it

Faldo and McIlroy

The 2015 Sunday Times Rich List is out on Sunday and two golfers make it into this year. Both Sir Nick Faldo and Rory McIlroy are the two names on there, both worth £38m

The 2015 Sunday Times Rich List is out on Sunday and two golfers make it into this year.

Sir Nick Faldo and Rory McIlroy are the two names on there, both worth £38m.

What the Sunday Times says about the golfers

Rory McIlroy  £38m

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy has the potential to become the world's richest sportsman, but he needs to keep winning golf's major championships. Last year he won two, The Open and the US PGA championship. He had already won the US Open and another US PGA title and only needs The Masters to complete the career grand slam.

But he has a new rival in Jordan Spieth, a 21-year-old American who is four years McIlroy's junior. McIlroy was born in Holywood, Co Down, in Northern Ireland and became obsessed with golf at a young age, learning to chip golf balls into his mother's washing machine as a party trick. He had an amazing amateur record, representing Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup when he was 18. He won his first tournament on the European Tour when he was 19, and his first in America when he was 20. He has already earned £40m in prize money alone and has a 10-year contract with Nike worth about £150m.

However, a settlement with his former management company cost Florida-based McIlroy about £18m. His relationship with Caroline Wozniacki, the former tennis player, ended in May last year when McIlroy called it off after invitations for their wedding had gone out.

Sir Nick Faldo £38m

Sir Nick Faldo

Faldo has said that The Open at St Andrews in July will be his last. He will be 58 in the middle of the tournament. He spends most of his time working as a golf analyst and commentator for CBS and the Golf Channel in the United States. The ex-carpet fitter from Hertfordshire won The Open and The Masters three times each. His Faldo Enterprises has designed 34 golf courses around the world and charges $1m for the design and use of Faldo's name and image in marketing for the courses. Faldo's present and past sponsorship deals include Audemars Piguet, TaylorMade-Adidas Golf, Marriott Hotels, Moet Hennessy and Glemorangie. Last year his sponsorship income totalled £5m according to Golf Digest, up from £4.7m the previous year. Nick Faldo (International) showed £446,000 net assets in 2013. He has had three costly divorces.

Both golfers are some £50m away from the number one sportsman on the list Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Top 10 Sportsmen and Managers are

1 Lewis Hamilton £88m 2 Wayne Rooney £72m 3 Jenson Button £71m 4 Andy Murray £48m 5 Rio Ferdinand £44m 6 Steven Gerrard £42m 7= Luol Deng £40m 7= Jose Mourinho £40m 9 Frank Lampard £39m 10= Sir Nick Faldo £38m 10= Ryan Giggs £38m 10= Rory McIlroy £38m 10= Arsene Wenger £38m

The 2015 Sunday Times Rich List - the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland - is published on Sunday, April 26, 2015

The list is based on identifiable wealth, including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies. It excludes bank accounts, to which the paper has no access.

Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.