Rory McIlroy Listed Amongst Top 50 Most Marketable Athletes For 2022

Aside from Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy is arguably the most recognized and famous golfer on the planet right now, with the 33-year-old a four-time Major winner, as well as multiple time PGA and DP World Tour victor.

Now, in a recent ranking list by SportsPro, the Northern Irishman has been listed amongst the top 50 most marketable athletes for 2022, with McIlroy finishing 48th in a list that includes the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams and Sir Lewis Hamilton.

Now in its 13th year, SportsPro’s 50 Most Marketable platform is designed to enable sports marketers to make intelligent sponsorship decisions through the application of comprehensive data analysis, advanced social media monitoring, economic valuations, and consumer insights.

This year’s updated ranking methodology, developed in partnership with NorthStar Solutions Group, was devised to paint the most complete picture of athlete marketability in the sports industry, combining on-field performance and off-field factors such as personal brand development, audience reach and engagement, and social impact.

For 2022, Ronaldo tops the list, with the rankings including the highest proportion of female athletes than ever before with 22. Football, or soccer, is the most prominent sport, with McIlroy the only golfer to feature on the list.

Recently, McIlroy was also announced as the sixth highest paid golfer in 2022 by Forbes, with the 33-year-old reportedly earning $43 million, with $9 million being on course and $34 million being off Course.

Unsurprisingly, LIV golfers dominated the Forbes' list, with Phil Mickelson topping the pile at a reported $138 million. The figure was so vast, that he actually topped the world’s highest-paid athlete list, beating footballer, Lionel Messi, who raked in a jaw-dropping $130 million!