Five-time major winner Rory McIlroy’s legacy in the annals of European golf has long been assured. But one historic 2025 campaign put an exclamation point on the career of one of the greatest golfers in history. The DP World Tour is now launching a new annual award in honor of McIlroy’s achievements.
McIlroy spoke at length about the new Rory McIlroy Award before the DP Tour World Championship 2025explaining the importance of the prize, its origin and why he could never win it.
What is the Rory McIlroy Award?
When McIlroy finally won his first green jacket at the 2025 Masters in April, he not only fulfilled his life’s dream of winning at Augusta. He also became the sixth golfer in history to complete career Grand Slam – winning all four major golf championships.
;)
Rory McIlroy closes in on one of his best goals. Will anyone get in his way?
Sean Zak
But McIlroy is the very first European golfer to accomplish this rare feat. And it is this fact that led to this new award.
Early Tuesday, the DP World Tour announced the creation of the Rory McIlroy Award “in honor of the first European winner of the Career Grand Slam.”
Each year, starting in 2026, the award will be given to the DP World Tour player who performs best in major championships. This will be determined based on Race to Dubai points earned at majors.
In a press release announcing the new award, McIlroy called the honor “humbling.”
“To have something named after you, that will be presented to future generations of players, is a tremendous honor and a great lesson in humility,” McIlroy wrote. “I am incredibly proud to be the first European to win a career Grand Slam. Majors represent the pinnacle of our sport, and I hope my success can inspire other members of the DP World Tour to pursue and achieve their own dreams for years to come.”
He continued: “I look forward to seeing who becomes the first recipient of this new award in 2026 and it will be another very proud moment for me personally to present them with the trophy. »
Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, explained why they felt the time was right to honor McIlroy, despite the fact he is still in his prime.
“While Rory will undoubtedly achieve many more great things during his career, as a Tour we wanted to commemorate his historic achievement this year by becoming the first career European Grand Slam winner,” Kinnings wrote. “This new award will be a lasting legacy that we hope will inspire future generations of DP World Tour members who want to follow in Rory’s footsteps on golf’s biggest stage.”
Origins of the McIlroy Prize (and why Rory can never win it)
After the award announcement, McIlroy joined reporters for his pre-tournament press conference at the DP World Tour Championship. And the new price was the first topic discussed.
McIlroy revealed that he first heard about the award shortly after his Masters victory in April. When Kinnings approached him with the idea, McIlroy initially thought it was too early in his career to name an award after him.
“When Guy approached us about it after the Masters, my first reaction was that it would be a little early, a little early,” McIlroy explained. “And the more I thought about it, the more I’m not going to stay here forever playing.”
;)
Kevin Cunningham
He continued: “So it will always be amazing to have my name, after my playing days, my name associated with this tour, and hopefully an award has my name on it that means something to future generations that they want to strive to achieve.”
There’s one more crucial detail about the Rory McIlroy Award that you need to know: Rory McIlroy can’t win it.
On Tuesday, McIlroy admitted that while it would be “cool” to win his own award, he decided it was better if he wasn’t eligible.
“That would be cool but I’m not eligible,” McIlroy revealed. “I thought it would be better if I didn’t…I think it was a decision made by all of us. We thought it was better that I wasn’t eligible.”
Instead, according to the press release, the award will honor players “seeking to replicate (McIlroy’s) achievements in golf’s four biggest individual tournaments.”
With his new prize awarded, McIlroy now focuses on the task at hand. He is the betting favorite in this week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship.where he is aiming for his seventh title in the Race to Dubai.
“>
