Graeme McDowell rejects any claims of inciting Rory McIlroy to dump Chubby Chandler’s ISM
Rumours surrounding Rory McIlroy’s decision to dump International Sports Management (ISM) and switch over to Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management (HSM) are now spreading like wild fire, engulfing even the distant and irrelevant players in its fold. The
latest victim in this regard is the 2010 US Open champion and McIlroy’s countryman Graeme McDowell, who is now being considered as the dominant influence that convinced McIlroy to switch lanes. Interestingly, McDowell also parted with Chubby Chandler’s ISM
four years back to join the HSM.
McDowell, who wants to keep away from raging controversies, denied any involvement in the whole affair.
“I’ve heard I’m supposed to have enticed Rory, well I purposely took a back seat in it all,” said McDowell, “Rory makes his own decisions and doesn’t listen to anybody,” McDowell said. “I certainly wasn’t going to sway him about what to do with his career.
Even if I could he’d only resent it if it didn’t work out.”
McIlroy’s decision to part ways with English ISM to the more Northern Irish HSM, is also seen in the context of the political rivalry between the Northern Ireland and England where many of the English players, including world number two Lee Westwood, have
criticized McIlroy’s decision to quit ISM. Westwood Tweeted on the whole affair, regarding it as “bizarre decision.”
“Bizarre is Lee Westwood’s opinion. Perhaps Rory just wants a different view on things, the way his business life is run off the golf course,” McDowell fired back.
McIlroy informed Chandler about his decision to quit ISM at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York before leaving for Bermuda for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Chandler came out with his own theory regarding the reasons why McIlroy decided to call it a day with
ISM and held McIlroy’s girlfriend, Tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki as the main culprit who pushed McIlroy for the decision. Chandler, however, failed to provide any substantial proof of the accusation he leveled against Wozniacki.
Reportedly, Chandler and McIlroy were having problems since Chandler’s reckless remarks before the Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in July this year. Chandler out rightly rejected the notion that McIlroy, who was just coming out of a record breaking
victory at the US Open, had any chance of winning the event, rather he touted Westwood as the best bet.
Chandler also conceded a fortnight ago, that McIlroy apparently had problems with Chandler’s celebrity status and criticized at the unusual coverage Chandler receives whose main objective is to promote his clients rather than him.
McIlroy and Westwood are engaged in a stiff battle at the Shanghai Masters in China where McIlroy is currently sharing the lead with Hunter Mahan through the first nine holes of the first round. McDowell will tee-off for the first round of Andalucía Masters
in Spain.
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