Rory McIlroy has capped a remarkable season by being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming the first golfer to win the award in 36 years.
The Northern Irishman enjoyed one of the finest campaigns of his career, becoming only the sixth man to complete the career Grand Slam and ending an 11-year major drought. He also was part of Team Europe’s dramatic Ryder Cup victory away from home, claimed three PGA TOUR wins and secured a seventh Race to Dubai title on the DP World Tour.
McIlroy’s Sports Personality of the Year triumph is certainly a fitting way to close out the season, with golf’s last winner of the prestigious award having been Nick Faldo in 1989. He comes out on top as one of six nominees, which included England rugby union World Cup winner Ellie Kildunne, Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris, Lionesses Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton, as well as 18-year-old World Darts Champion Luke Littler. Kildunne and Norris took second and third place, respectively.
“2025 has been the year that I made my dreams come true, from Augusta to the Ryder Cup and everywhere else in between,” McIlroy said. “It has really been the year that dreams are made of. Thank you for voting for me as your sports personality of the year. But my mum, my dad, they sacrificed so much for me and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
“I’d like to congratulate all the other finalists, what you’ve all done this year, over the course of your careers, I know how much hard work and dedication it takes.”
Just moments before his win, the night also saw Europe’s Ryder Cup team crowned the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year, and McIlroy took the stage alongside Tommy Fleetwood to claim the award on behalf of the team.
“As a lot of other sports people in this room know, it’s an honour to be a part of these teams,” he said.
“We’re up here as two of the 12 players. We also had the captain, vice captain and all of the backroom team – we could not have done what we did without all of them.”
They became the seventh European Ryder Cup team to receive the award, and the first since 2010.