Advertisement
Harrington at the Shell Houston Open earlier this month. Getty Images/INPHO

Padraig Harrington holds off Rory McIlroy charge to remain Ireland's richest sportsman

Golf seems to be the sport that offers the greatest financial return but Robbie Keane and Damien Duff are flying the football flag.

HE MAY BE ahead of the Dubliner in the golf world rankings but Rory McIlroy has some way to go yet if he is to surpass Padraig Harrington as Irelandโ€™s richest sportsman.

Harrington, a three-time Major winner, tops The Timesโ€™ Rich List for 2014 despite an impressive, monetary charge by McIlroy. His fortune is estimated at โ‚ฌ43m and is up โ‚ฌ2m on last yearโ€™s compiled figures.

McIlroy, who has two Majors to his name, took his personal wealth up to โ‚ฌ34m [up from โ‚ฌ24m] in the last year. While he struggled in competition in 2013 โ€” winning only one event โ€” the Holywood nativeโ€™s multi million euro deal with Nike, to supply his sporting gear and golf clubs, has boosted coffers.

Footballers Damien Duff and Robbie Keane are in joint third place on โ‚ฌ22m. Fulham midfielder Duff saw his fortune remain at that total while Keane, who recently signed an extension to his LA Galaxy contract, is up from โ‚ฌ19m. Rounding out the Irish top six are Darren Clarke on โ‚ฌ20m [up from โ‚ฌ19m] and Graeme McDowell on โ‚ฌ18m [โ‚ฌ16m].

Harrington compares favourably with Britainโ€™s top sportsmen but only in the lower echelons of its top 10. Lewis Hamilton has amassed a fortune of โ‚ฌ82m [up from โ‚ฌ72m last year] while fellow Formula One driver Jenson Button is on โ‚ฌ76m.

Wayne Rooney is third on the UK list with โ‚ฌ72m, Canadian basketballer [and British passport holder] Steve Nash is next, on โ‚ฌ67m, followed by Rio Ferdinand on โ‚ฌ53m. Andy Murrayโ€™s Wimbledon success in 2013 has seen him earn an extra โ‚ฌ9m and jump to sixth on the list with his 2014 fortune standing at โ‚ฌ48m.

Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are tied seventh on โ‚ฌ45m while Ryan Giggs, who managed Manchester United for the first time on Saturday, is joint ninth on โ‚ฌ43m. He rounds out the British top 10 alongside NBA star Luol Deng.

*The figures are part of The Sunday Timesโ€™ Rich List, which will published in full in May.

Giggs gets United reign off to winning start with 4-0 win

Doherty makes Crucible exit, Rocket battles back to book quarter-final berth

Close
34 Comments
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.