Chubby: I was in shock after Rory exit

RORY McILROY’S decision to leave International Sports Management left company founder Chubby Chandler in “shock”, the charismatic sports agent and player manager has admitted.

Speaking at the European Tour announcement that the 2012 Irish Open would be staged at Royal Portrush — where McIlroy shot a course-record 61 on the Dunluce links — Chandler said the US Open champion told him he was leaving to join Irish management firm Horizon Sports during a brief conversation on the way home from a tournament.

“We had two minutes in an airport lounge at the end of a nine-day trip,” Chandler said, in an interview broadcast on Newstalk.