McIlroy case deferred until today as legal teams strive to narrow issues

Golfer Rory McIlroy’s legal action against his former management team has been put back to this morning following day-long talks aimed at narrowing the issues in the case.

The hearing in the Commercial Court was due to get underway before Mr Justice Brian Cregan who was initially told by Paul Gallagher SC, for Mr McIlroy, that it was scheduled to last eight weeks and there were many issues involved.

Counsel said he and Paul Sreenan SC, for the defendants, were seeing if they could narrow those issues and he sought a deferral of the start of the case until after lunch.

Mr Gallagher returned twice in the afternoon to tell the judge the sides were making progress and they wanted the case put back again. Mr Justice Cregan agreed to adjourn it to this morning.

Mr McIlroy, accompanied by a number of people, arrived early yesterday at the Four Courts and took his reserved place on a bench behind the lawyers about 15 minutes before the case was to start.

He also returned to court just before 4pm, when his lawyer sought a further deferral until the morning.

In his action before the Commercial Court, the 25-year-old claims that Horizon Sports Management charged commissions that weer “many times greater” than is standard.

He is suing the company, along with Gurteen Ltd and Canovan Management Services, claiming the representation agreement he signed is unenforceable on grounds including undue influence, and was improvident.

McIlroy claims he was just 22 when he signed the agreement without the benefit of legal advice and with no business experience.

The defendants deny the claims and have counter-claimed for revenues allegedly outstanding under the agreement for off-course revenues. They estimate they are owed $9m (€7.9m) in commission and are seeking damages for loss of further revenues.