Rory McIlroy, left, snubbed Patrick Reed's attempt to greet him at Emirates Golf Golf ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Getty
Rory McIlroy, left, snubbed Patrick Reed's attempt to greet him at Emirates Golf Golf ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Getty
Rory McIlroy, left, snubbed Patrick Reed's attempt to greet him at Emirates Golf Golf ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Getty
Rory McIlroy, left, snubbed Patrick Reed's attempt to greet him at Emirates Golf Golf ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Getty

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Golf

Rory McIlroy on Patrick Reed tee-throwing rancour: ‘I’d be expecting a lawsuit’

Incident ahead of Dubai Desert Classic is latest antagonism in golf’s ‘civil war’

Paul Radley
Paul Radley

January 25, 2023

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Rory McIlroy said he had not seen Patrick Reed throw a tee at him near the range at Emirates Golf Club on Tuesday, but acknowledged, had the roles been reversed, “I’d be expecting a lawsuit”.

Reed had reportedly attempted to greet the Northern Irishman two days ahead of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

When he was snubbed, the American reportedly walked off, while throwing a tee in McIlroy’s direction in disgust.

It was the latest incident in what has been termed golf’s “civil war” which has involved some of the world’s leading players and those who have joined the LIV Golf tour.

McIlroy said he had rebuffed Reed’s approach as he was focused on practicing, but suggested the prevailing climate meant he would be disinclined to greet him anyway.

“I didn't see it,” the World No 1 said when asked about Reed throwing a tee-peg at him. “I was down by my bag and he came up to me. I was busy working and doing my practice, and I didn't feel the need to acknowledge him.

“So I didn't see a tee coming my direction at all, but apparently that's what happened. And if roles were reversed and I'd have of thrown that tee at him, I'd be expecting a lawsuit.”

The divisions within golf that started with the arrival of the new tour, LIV Golf, last year have deepened away from the course in the way of a number of lawsuits.

Players such as Reed, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter are awaiting an arbitration hearing next month to see if they can continue to play DP World Tour events, as well as their LIV Tour commitments.

In the course of the past six months, Reed has also reportedly started legal action against McIlroy and Tiger Woods, as well as a defamation case golf commentator Brandel Chamblee.

"I was subpoenaed by his lawyer on Christmas Eve," McIlroy, the two-time Classic winner, said. "So, of course, [I was] trying to have a nice time with my family and if someone shows up on your doorstep and delivers that, you're not going to take that well.

"I'm living in reality, I don't know where he's living. If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't expect a hello or a handshake."

McIlroy and Reed will tee it up at the same time in Round 1 at the Classic on Thursday – albeit on separate sides of the Majlis Course.

McIlroy is drawn in a three-ball with Ryan Fox and Tommy Fleetwood, starting at the 10th tee. Simultaneously, Reed will be at the first, alongside Gavin Green and Scott Jamieson.

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

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Updated: January 25, 2023, 10:45 AM
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