2025 was the year Rory McIlroy entered a new realm of stardom.
He began the season by winning the Masters and joining a very small group of golfers to win all four men’s majors, and now, his name is part of another select few in the sport attached to an award.
The new trophy, inaugurated by the DP World Tour, is inspired by the Northern Irishman’s victory at Augusta National and will belong to the DP World Tour member who performs the best across all four major championships in a season.
Starting in 2026, the member who earns the most Race to Dubai points from the Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open and The Open will win the Rory McIlroy award.
There are a handful of golfers who have awards named after them. The DP World Tour alone has accolades named after Seve Ballesteros, Harry Vardon, Sir Henry Cotton and John Jacobs.
The Byron Nelson award is given to the leader in adjusted scoring average with a minimum of 50 rounds played on the PGA Tour, and the Arnold Palmer is given to the player with the most money earned in a season.
You have the Payne Stewart award for the player whose “values align with the character, charity and sportsmanship that Stewart showed”, then there are honours named after Fred Haskins, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan at college level.
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“To have something named after you, that will be presented to future generations of players, is a huge honour, and it is very humbling.
“It certainly means a lot to me because the DP World Tour was where I started my career. I’ve always loved playing on it and, of course, representing Europe and the Tour in the Ryder Cup.
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“I’m incredibly proud to be the first European to achieve the Career Grand Slam. The Majors represent the pinnacle of our sport, and I hope my success can inspire other DP World Tour members to chase and achieve their own dreams for years to come.
“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 the trophy to them.”
The 2025 Masters, the tournament seemingly at the origin of this award, was one of the most remarkable golf tournaments we are likely to see.
The back nine was meant to be a coronation for McIlroy as he’d seen off his playing partner and rival Bryson DeChambeau, but Justin Rose was rallying elsewhere, as was Ludvig Aberg.
Rose made his 10th birdie of the final round on the 18th hole, in one of the great rounds of golf ever played, to lead in the clubhouse. McIlroy went one ahead after a birdie on 17, but bogeyed the 18th to fall into a playoff.
Despite Rose’s best efforts, it was his second playoff defeat at the Masters as McIlroy nestled in a short birdie putt to finally don the Green Jacket, and win his fifth major title.
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