Rory McIlroy has endorsed a new trophy that will honor the top DP World Tour player in the Majors each year; however, the Masters champion is ineligible for the award.
The Ulsterman made history as the first European to achieve the career Grand Slam by triumphing in Augusta in April. Just ahead of the season-ending DP World Tour Championships, the DP World Tour revealed the Rory McIlroy Award, recognizing the tour member with the best performance across all four Major Championships annually.
Despite his stellar achievements, McIlroy cannot win the award. The five-time Major victor expressed, “It would be cool, but I am not eligible for it. I believe it was a collective decision to exclude me from consideration.”
McIlroy has now joined an elite group as the fifth player to have an award named after him on the DP World Tour, acknowledging his exceptional on-course accomplishments and unwavering support for the tour, including participating in events in India and Australia.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” he remarked. “Previously, I aimed for the Sir Henry Cotton Award in 2008 (Rookie of the Year), followed by pursuing trophies like the Harry Vardon (Race to Dubai winner) and Seve Ballesteros (Players’ Player of the Year) awards.”
“Now, to have an award bearing my name recognizing the best DP World Tour player based on their Major Championships performance throughout the year is truly special. I eagerly anticipate the upcoming year to present it to the deserving winner once the majors conclude.”
McIlroy, at 36, achieved the career Grand Slam status after golf legends Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods. He disclosed that DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings first discussed the award with him post-Augusta.
“Initially, I felt it might be premature,” McIlroy revealed. “However, upon reflection, I realized my playing days are limited. Having my name associated with this tour and potentially having an award named after me for future generations to aspire to achieve is truly remarkable.”
“It’s a great honor to be mentioned alongside golf icons like Harry Vardon, Sir Henry Cotton, Seve Ballesteros, and John Jacobs (PGA Coaching Award).”
McIlroy aims to defend his title at the DP World Tour Championships this week, pursuing a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai victory, and a seventh in total to surpass Ballesteros. Only Colin Montgomerie, with eight victories including seven in a row, has more.
Reflecting on this sustained excellence, McIlroy commented, “Maintaining such a high level of performance for seven continuous years is remarkable. It’s often overlooked, especially during the golden era of European golf where he competed against Faldo, Lyle, Langer, and Woosie. While acknowledging the current generation’s talent, the competition was incredibly tough.”
McIlroy solidified his lead this year with a tied third place in Abu Dhabi, with contenders Marco Penge and Tyrrell Hatton needing to win to challenge him on Sunday.
“I feel that my game has reached a high level recently, and I hope to continue this momentum starting from Thursday,” stated the world No.2.
