The Masters wasn’t the only elusive honor Rory McIlroy was chasing in 2025 – and it’s not the only one he has now won, either.
McIlroy received the BBC award Sports Personality of the Year On Thursday, the fans voted and awarded the British athlete who has made the biggest impact over the past year.
McIlroy – and golf – have had a complex relationship with price; Despite Britain’s prodigious golf culture, only two golfers had competed in this year’s awards in its 70-year history, and McIlroy had faced some high-profile criticism.
But his emotional acceptance of the 2025 prize felt like water under the bridge. This was a chance for McIlroy to reflect on perhaps the most meaningful year of his storied career, a decade of ups and downs.
“Wow,” McIlroy said as he took the stage. “First of all, I’d like to congratulate all the other finalists. I know how much hard work and dedication it takes, so it’s a pleasure just to be in this room. I feel really honored to just be a part of that.
Reflecting on a year in which McIlroy laid out his ambitious goals – win at golf’s best venues, win meaningful tournaments, win a major, win the Masters, win an away Ryder Cup – and then ticked them off one after another, he led with gratitude for those closest to him.
“I have a lot of people to thank,” McIlroy said. “First of all, the audience, my family, my mother and my father. They sacrificed so much for me. Without them I wouldn’t be here, so thank you.”
“My wife Erica and my daughter Poppy, they are what holds me together. My rock. They couldn’t be here tonight, but I can’t wait to come back tomorrow and celebrate with them. I love you.”
“And to the BBC for organizing these awards. It’s always been something I watched on TV growing up.
“It has always been a big part of the run-up to Christmas, so I am very honored to get my hands on this trophy.
“Hopefully I can take up the challenge again next year.”
‘Absolute heroes’
McIlroy also took a moment to recognize the fathers of two of the victims of last year’s tragic attack in Southport. Sergio Aguiar, who lost his nine-year-old daughter Alice, and David Stancombe, who lost his seven-year-old daughter Elsie, ran this year’s London Marathon and received the Helen Rollason Award, which recognizes outstanding performance despite adversity.
“As fathers of a little girl, Elsie and Alice’s dads are absolute heroes,” McIlroy tearfully told host Clare Balding.
Aguiar used his marathon run to raise money for a new playground at Alice’s school, Churchtown Primary School. Stancombe ran for Elsie’s Story, the charity set up in her honour.
An emotional moment for everyone.
Rory McIlroy won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 trophy and shared his support for the fathers of two of the Southport attack victims, who won the Helen Rollason award. pic.twitter.com/0XgARG7Exo
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 18, 2025
“I’m very grateful to receive the award tonight, but I’m just a dad keeping a promise to his little girl,” Stancombe said emotionally. “Elsie wanted me to run the London Marathon and I did. It gave me enormous focus during the most difficult time I have ever experienced.”
Aguiar said he wanted to spread Alice’s magic around the world.
“I would like to dedicate this award to our three girls: Alice, Elsie and Bebe,” he said. “Keep dancing.”
The magnitude of the evening left McIlroy feeling reflective and grateful.
“Being a father makes the losses easier, but it makes the good moments even more special, and to share that with Erika and Poppy – my whole family went through this, and I felt everyone was there with me that day [at Augusta].”
“But Michael, why is it so important to you that Rory McIlroy wins the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award? Why do you even care?”
Okay. So…
He is only the third golfer in the award’s 71-year history to win it.
He is the first since Nick Faldo in 1989.
He was on… pic.twitter.com/sXesBntKzR
— Michael McEwan (@MMcEwanGolf) December 18, 2025
Accepting Personality of the Year was actually McIlroy’s second trip to the podium on Thursday; he and Tommy Fleetwood took home the European Ryder Cup Team of the Year award, edging out the England women’s football team that won Euro 2025 and the England Women’s Rugby World Cup champions.
“As many other sports people in this room know, it is an honor to be part of these teams,” McIlroy said. “I would like to congratulate the England women’s football team and also the Red Roses, what you have done this year is absolutely fantastic.
“We’re standing here as two of the 12 players. We also had the captain, the vice-captain and the whole backroom team. We couldn’t have done what we did without all of them. To everyone watching at home, thank you very much.”
McIlroy is the third golfer (after Dai Rees in 1957 and Nick Faldo in 1989) and the third Northern Irishman (after boxer Barry McGuigan in 1985 and jockey Sir AP McCoy in 2010) to win Personality of the Year. He beat five other finalists, with English rugby player Ellie Kil Dunn coming second and Formula 1 driver Lando Norris third.
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