Mcllroy wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025

Wednesday, 24 December 2025 03:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Rory McIlroy (right) wins the BBC NI award after becoming the first golfer since Sir Nick Faldo in 1989 to claim the UK-wide award

Golfer Rory Mcllroy has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 after clinching the career Grand Slam and playing a key role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland achieved golfing immortality in April when he won the Masters at Augusta National to complete the set of all four majors.

He became just the sixth man – and first European – to achieve the Slam, joining Americans Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, and South Africa’s Gary Player, in accomplishing the feat.

Having won the US Open, The Open and US PGA Championship by 2014, Mcllroy had to wait another 11 years to make his “dreams come true”.

He then played a key role in Europe’s first Ryder Cup win in the United States since 2012, contributing three and a half points to his team’s triumph.

McIlroy also delighted his home crowd by winning the Irish Open for a second time, with further successes at the Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, before topping off a stellar year with his seventh Race to Dubai title.

England rugby union player Ellie Kildunne came second, with Formula 1 driver Lando Norris in third.

Just minutes before collecting his individual award, Mcllroy – along with Tommy Fleetwood – collected the Team of the Year award after Team Europe were honoured for their Ryder Cup success.

Mcllroy is just the third golfer to win Sports Personality, after Dai Rees in 1957 and Nick Faldo in 1989.