No Evidence of Tampering Says McIlroy's Legal Team


Rory McIlroy's legal team rebutted claims by attorneys for his former management company, Horizon Sports, that he deliberately "wiped clean" up to eight mobile phones owned by the golfer over the past three years. The allegations came in the early days of a lawsuit filed by McIlroy against Horizon being heard in a Dublin High Court.

The legal action was brought by golf's top-ranked player against Horizon, claiming that the company "limited" his earnings that have cost him approximately $6.8 million in fees. Horizon has countersued for $2.4 million in unpaid fees. McIlroy is also trying to legally terminate his five-year agreement with Horizon.

McIlroy first signed the agreement with Dublin-based Horizon in December 2011, and signed a third agreement in March 2013. He now alleges the company coaxed him into the first agreements as he was just 22 at the time with no business experience and without the benefit of legal advice. Also named in the suit were Gurteen Ltd, with a registered address in Malta, and Dublin-based Canovan Management Services.

Horizon maintains that the phones contained data crucial to McIlroy's lawsuit and that the "factory resetting" of phones was to deliberately destroy such information. Horizon wants them forensically inspected, according to a report in the Irish Times.

In an affidavit sworn in Palm Beach, Fla., McIlroy said he merely wanted to have the most up-to-date models over the three-year period and to avoid calls from journalists. He said he was not advised by his legal team to back up material on the devices.

Counsel for the golfer rebutted that Horizon's claim McIlroy deliberately "wiped clean" the phones was "inherently implausible."

Horizon's legal team also said at the opening of the hearing that soon after McIlroy signed the March 2013 agreement he established his own sports management company, Rory McIlroy Inc.

Horizon pointed out that McIlroy's personal assistant Sean O'Flaherty left Horizon to work for the new company as did Donal Casey, who later became CEO of Rory McIlroy Inc. Part of Horizon's case is that McIlroy and others were instrumental in bringing about the unlawful attempt to repudiate the contract, the counsel said.

For the full story in the Irish Times, visit http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/rory-mcilroy-deliberately-wiped-clean-mobile-phones-court-hears-1.2031157.