Rory McIlroy stands on the brink of a unique sporting double in 2025, yet history suggests a final, frustrating hurdle awaits. After a season where he secured a career Grand Slam at the Masters and inspired Europe to Ryder Cup glory amidst hostile crowds, the Northern Irishman now confronts the notorious BBC Sports Personality of the Year (Spoty) curse that has long plagued golf.
The Weight of History: Golf's Spoty Drought
Despite the sport's global popularity, a golfer has lifted the BBC Spoty trophy only twice in its 71-year history. Dai Rees won in 1957 after captaining a Ryder Cup victory, and Nick Faldo triumphed following his 1989 Masters win. This pales next to athletics (19 wins), Formula One (8), and football and tennis (7 each). McIlroy himself knows the sting of disappointment, having been a hot favourite in 2014 after winning two majors, only to be pipped by Lewis Hamilton.
"I suppose if I don’t win it this time, I never will," McIlroy has conceded. The pattern of oversight has persisted: Danny Willett finished last after his 2016 Masters win, while Georgia Hall and Matt Fitzpatrick missed shortlists entirely after major victories in 2018 and 2022.
Formidable Contenders: Norris, Kelly and the Surprise Factor
McIlroy's path to the award is blocked by two standout British sporting successes from 2025. Lando Norris, the new and hugely popular Formula One World Champion, has seen his odds shorten dramatically, mirroring Hamilton's surge in 2014. Meanwhile, Chloe Kelly of the Lionesses scored the decisive penalty in England's Euro 2025 final shootout victory. A win for Kelly would make her the fifth woman in a row to claim Spoty, following Kelly Hodgkinson, Mary Earps, Beth Mead, and Emma Raducanu.
"It shows women’s sport is on the up," Kelly said, acknowledging teammates like Hannah Hampton and rugby star Ellie Kildunne are also in contention. "We are putting bums on seats... we’re here to stay."
The shortlist is completed by darts prodigy Luke Littler, who plans to skip the ceremony to focus on his world title defence. Yet absence is no barrier, as Mo Farah proved with his shock 2017 win from his sofa.
A Battle of Popularity and Perceived Value
The Spoty award uniquely blends sporting achievement with public likability, often leading to surprises. In 2006, golfer Darren Clarke was a sentimental favourite after playing in the Ryder Cup weeks after his wife's death, facing a strong field including Joe Calzaghe and Beth Tweddle. The winner, however, was Zara Phillips, whose royal status and equestrian success captured the public vote.
In 2025, McIlroy's credentials seem unassailable. Completing the career Grand Slam is a rare feat, achieved by only five men before him. His resilience at the Ryder Cup, where he and his wife endured sustained abuse from sections of the crowd, added a layer of human fortitude to his sporting excellence.
Learning from past experience, McIlroy is taking no chances. After not attending in 2023 when nominated, he will be present at the Manchester ceremony. "It’s a popularity contest. It’s not what it once was," he remarked previously. This time, he is fully engaged, aiming to charm floating voters and secure the crowning honour of an extraordinary year.
Whether the Great British public will finally reward golf's modern icon, or zig towards a new F1 hero or a Lioness legend, remains the final compelling question of the sporting year.
