Rory McIlroy has endorsed a new prize to honor the top performer in the Majors on the DP World Tour every year, excluding the Masters champion from eligibility.
Making history as the first European to achieve a career Grand Slam at Augusta this April, McIlroy’s accomplishment prompted the introduction of the Rory McIlroy Award by the DP World Tour just ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championships. The award recognizes the player who excels across all four Major Championships during a season.
Despite his remarkable achievements, McIlroy is prohibited from winning the award named after him. He expressed his amusement at the situation, stating, “It would be cool but I am ineligible for it. I thought it would be better if I wasn’t. I think it was a decision made by all of us. We thought it was best if I would be ineligible for it.”
Joining the ranks of select players with an award named after them on the DP World Tour, McIlroy’s dedication to the tour during challenging times, including LIV civil war, and his commitment to playing events in various countries like India and Australia have earned him this distinction.
Expressing his gratitude for the recognition, McIlroy commented, “It’s a huge honor. In 2008, it was the Sir Henry Cotton Award I was trying to get to. Then trying to win Harry Vardon trophies and Seve Ballesteros awards. And now there’s obviously going to be an award under my name which is very, very cool, to recognize the best DP World Tour player, their performance in the four major championships over the course of the year.”
McIlroy, who recently achieved the career Grand Slam alongside golf legends like Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods, revealed that the idea for the award was first proposed by DP World Tour chief executive Guy Kinnings following his win at Augusta.
Looking ahead to the future, McIlroy expressed his desire to have his name associated with the tour beyond his playing days, aiming to inspire future generations to strive for excellence and achieve similar recognition.
Currently competing at the DP World Tour Championships, McIlroy aims to secure his fourth consecutive Race to Dubai win to surpass his record alongside Ballesteros. Reflecting on the sustained excellence required in the sport, McIlroy acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a high level of performance over an extended period.
As he vies for another title at the DP World Tour Championships, McIlroy emphasized his focus on maintaining his recent good form to continue his success on the course.
