GOLF star Rory McIlroy will not be forced to hand over mobile phones to his former management company, the High Court in Dublin has ruled.
The world number one is locked in a legal battle with former representatives at Horizon Sport Management Ltd over the ending of a contract.
Two other companies who Mr McIlroy signed representation agreements with, Gurteen Ltd and Canovan Management Services, were also seeking access to the golfer's phones. They claimed Mr McIlroy "wiped clean" up to eight mobile phones which may have contained important information relating to the case.
However, Judge Raymond Fullam said examination of the phones would be "a speculative exercise which goes beyond the parameters of the evidence".
The three companies had been seeking to inspect eight mobile phones and any computers used by the golfer between October 2011 and December 2013.
A judge also refused orders seeking discovery of the Holywood golfer's phone bills as well as inspection orders for the mobile phones of consultant Donal Casey, who later became CEO of Rory McIlroy Inc, and of Sean O'Flaherty, his personal assistant.
It is claimed "factory resetting" of phones was also carried out on devices of Mr Casey and Mr O'Flaherty and of the golfer's father Gerry McIlroy.
Judge Raymond Fullam said Mr Casey and Mr O'Flaherty were not parties in the case, and making inspection orders without their consent would be oppressive.
The judge also refused that Gerry McIlroy be compelled to provide a further affidavit.