• Golf news

McDowell denies role in McIlroy move from ISM

Graeme McDowell insists Rory McIlroy made the decision on his own © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: McDowell still possessed by Valderrama demons
  
• News: McIlroy storms ahead of Westwood in Shanghai
  
• News: McIlroy and Westwood square off in Shanghai
  
• News: McIlroy parts company with Chandler and ISM
  
• Profile: Graeme McDowell | Rory McIlroy

Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell has denied any involvement in compatriot Rory McIlroy's decision to leave ISM for the sports agency that represents him, Horizon.

McIlroy, who succeeded his fellow Northern Irishman as US Open winner this year with an impressive triumph at Congressional, made the decision to leave Andrew 'Chubby' Chandler's agency last week - immediately joining up with his best friend at the Irish-based Horizon.

Reports in some quarters have suggested that McDowell used his close relationship to persuade the 22-year-old to make the switch, but he has categorically denied that.

"I've heard I'm supposed to have enticed Rory, well I purposely took a back seat in it all," McDowell said. "Rory makes his own decisions and doesn't listen to anybody. I certainly wasn't going to sway him about what to do with his career. Even if I could he'd only resent it if it didn't work out."

McIlroy is likely to become the star client at the Irish agency, but McDowell insists he doesn't have a problem taking a back seat.

He added: "I've been number one but Rory is now. I'm happy about that. I hope he'll drive me on."

McDowell is one of the few other high profile golfers to have left ISM, departing in 2007. He doesn't believe his exit was awkward and is confident McIlroy's will not be either.

"I went through the same process three or four years ago and it was very amicable. Rory's split seems pretty amicable as well," he said. "That's life, it's business, not personal. We are one big travelling circus out here and it pays to get on with each other.

"I've never known any rifts to be catastrophic between players and management companies. It's a long career, we're not going to burn bridges and fall out with people."

Rumours have circulated that a rift with Lee Westwood was a key reason behind McIlroy's decision to leave ISM, with the Northern Irishman subsequently 'unfollowing' Westwood on Twitter and the Englishman labelling the exit as "bizarre". The duo have been paired together for the opening two rounds of the Shanghai Masters, but McDowell doesn't anticipate any issues.

"It's very ironic," said McDowell. "They'll want to be out there and beat each other up, obviously from a golf point of view.

"Bizarre is Lee Westwood's opinion. Perhaps Rory just wants a different view on things, the way his business life is run off the golf course.

"It's Rory McIlroy's decision, he's a very smart kid."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.