McIlroy wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award
Rory McIlroy with the Masters Trophy. Picture: Augusta National Golf Club
Rory McIlroy was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2025 following a dramatic season in which he completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters and helped Europe win the Ryder Cup on US soil.
"I don't know what I'm going to do in 2026 to top it, but I'm going to try," McIlroy told BBC Sport NI after becoming the first golfer to win the award since Nick Faldo in 1989.
"I've got a nice little bit of time off over Christmas and New Year and I think that's the time to maybe put the highlights on and watch it back and reflect.
"2025 has been the year I made my dreams come true." ❤️
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 18, 2025
The perfect way to finish off an outstanding 2025 for Rory McIlroy - your BBC Sports Personality of the Year ✨ pic.twitter.com/QWOXYSRcsA
"It's been an incredible 12 months and I want to enjoy everything that I've done, but at the same time, this isn't it for me - I have got a lot more I want to achieve."
"I don't know what I'm going to do in 2026 to top it, but I'm going to try," McIlroy told BBC Sport NI.
"I've got a nice little bit of time off over Christmas and New Year and I think that's the time to maybe put the highlights on and watch it back and reflect.
"It's been an incredible 12 months and I want to enjoy everything that I've done, but at the same time, this isn't it for me - I have got a lot more I want to achieve."
Tommy Fleetwood joined him to collect the Team of the Year award, which was awarded to Europe for their Ryder Cup success.
As for the secret of his success, McIlroy said his love of the game never waned.
“You just never lose the enthusiasm or the joy for the game,” he said at the ceremony in Manchester. “As long as you have joy for the game, and you love what you're doing and get lost in that, I think that's the easiest way to improve.
“Because the more you love something, the more you're going to do it, and naturally you're going to get better.”
He paid tribute to his parents, Rosemary and Gerr,y for the sacrifices they made to support his golfing dreams,
“We didn't have much money growing up, and they sacrificed a lot for me,” McIlroy added. “My dad took on extra jobs. My mum worked night shifts in the factory just to be able to support my dream of playing golf.
“So everything I do and everything that I'm able to accomplish, the first thing I think about is them because if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be standing here today.”
