McIlroy named BBC NI Sports Personality of the Year

Rory McIlroy has been named the 2025 BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year.

McIlroy made history in April by becoming only the sixth player - and first European - to complete a career Grand Slam of all four men's golf major championships when he won the Masters at Augusta National.

The 36-year-old - who was also voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year for the first time on Thursday - beat Justin Rose in a dramatic play-off to claim the famous green jacket and his first victory at a major since 2014.

At the Ryder Cup, McIlroy shrugged off a hostile crowd at Bethpage Black in New York to contribute three-and-a-half points as Europe won in the United States for the first time since 2012.

Further wins came at the Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Irish Open, before he topped off a stellar year with his seventh Race to Dubai title.

McIlroy picked up the BBC NI award for the fourth time ahead of World Athletics Championship silver medallist Kate O'Connor and Liverpool and Northern Ireland footballer Conor Bradley.

Reflecting on his successful year, McIlroy remembers with particular affection the reception he received at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July, in which he finished in a tie for seventh.

"I'll never forget the reception I got at Portrush this year, even though I didn't win The Open," he said.

"The support I get from back home is absolutely incredible, so I'd like to say thank you to everyone in Northern Ireland for supporting me and believing in me and being on this journey with me.

"It feels like everyone has watched me grow up, experienced the highs and lows with me."

McIlroy added: "Home's home, it always will be, it's the place that forged me. I go home and it's always the place that I feel the most comfortable in.

"I don't get home as often as I'd like but I feel that I bring Northern Ireland with me wherever I go, but when I do get home there's just that sense of belonging that I don't get anywhere else."

The judging panel for the award consisted of All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winner Oisin McConville, four-time Paralympic champion Michael McKillop, Northern Ireland women's football record cap holder Julie Nelson, Ireland hockey's record cap holder Shirley McCay, BBC Sport NI executive editor Neil Brittain and BBC Sport NI reporter Thomas Kane.