Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy is investing in golf course management company Troon, through his investment fund, Symphony Ventures. In partnership with private equity firm TPG Capital, Symphony Ventures aims to boost Troon with the addition of more capital and resources.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the transaction is expected to close next month. Los Angeles-based private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners will maintain majority ownership of Troon, which it has held since 2017.
Symphony Ventures has made more than a dozen investments since its founding in 2019 and has a growing portfolio, which includes dealings across technology and health and wellness companies. McIlroy’s strides in the golf space, though, have been more striking and eye-catching. Symphony Ventures committed in July to an investment of at least $10 million in Drive Shack’s “Puttery,” a new brand of mini-golf venues marketed for adults.
The Troon investment is the latest golf-related backing from the two-time FedExCup champion. Founded in 1990, Troon is one of the nation’s largest third-party management companies. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company, which also owns and leases about 50 courses, says it provides operational and advisory services to more than 600 golf locations around the world.
(This article has been corrected in the final paragraph to clarify DAZN’s relationship to TPG Capital.)
