MIKE has paid tribute to his friend and stable patron Andrew “Chubby Chandler”, the founder and  MD of International Sports Management (ISM), who manages several top professional golfers including  World No 2 Lee Westwood, World No 9 Rory McIlroy and young South African stars Charl Schwartzel (World Number 11), the winner of this weekend’s US Masters, and Louis Oosthuizen, last year’s US Open winner (World No 28).

Mike on the roof of the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai with Rory McIlroy and “Chubby” Chandler.

“Chubby’s results speak for themselves, year after year,” said Mike, himself a keen golfer. “Charl Schwartzel played superbly to win, well done to him and also to Rory McIlroy, who has a big future. Rory is a youngster we’ve come to know well on his visits with Chubby in Dubai and we’re always rooting for him. His day will come.”

Mike quipped: “Funny how it took two young Dutchmen from South Africa to put the old veteran from Manchester on the map!”

Chubby writes on his website: “By smoothing out the administrative, marketing and logistical difficulties for a player, he can concentrate 100% on his game without outside worries. It sounds simple, but I feel it is essential if he is to be successful.

“Golf on tour is a job and it must be treated as a job. There is no way that, faced with the amount of travel that is involved nowadays and the amount of practice that is essential just to stay on the Tour, that a player who, almost by definition, is not a business administrator, marketer or salesman, can keep his affairs in order or promote himself. Worrying about a tax return, hotel room or flight ticket is not helpful when you should be concentrating on your game.

South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel receives the coveted Green Jacket from Phil Mickelson after his US Masters win on Sunday. (Reuters).

“The quality of player in the International Sports Management stable and results they regularly achieve shows our philosophy is right for them. When I started the firm we were a small family with four players. We have grown but I don’t want to lose the feeling of being a family. It is how the company has always been and still continues to work nicely.”