Mark McCormack, founder and chairman of the largest sports managements company in the world, will become the ninth golfing personality to receive the International Golf award from the Legends Golf Society. McCormack will be guest of honour at the awards dinner in the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Links next Monday night when he will be presented with the famous Legends Blue Jacket.

McCormack will follow in the path of previous winners - Harry Bradshaw, Peter Alliss, Joe Carr, Christy O'Connor, John Jacobs, Peter Thompson, Michael Bonallack and Doug Sanders.

The Society's special annual award for Distinguished Services to Golf will be presented to Gerry O'Brien, the honorary secretary of the Golfing Union of Ireland and a member of Portmarnock and Clontarf golf clubs. O'Brien has made a wonderful contribution to the game in Ireland in various roles at club, provincial and national level.

McCormack has had a huge influence in golf becoming a lucrative international sport and the empire which he created now employs more than 2,000 staff in 80 offices worldwide managing the affairs of many of the world's leading golfers, athletes and celebrities. Last year, 20 of the 45 events on the PGA Tour in America were won by clients of IMG.