The DP World Tour has introduced the creation of the “Rory McIlroy Award” to commemorate the Northern Irish golfer’s Grand Slam success.
The brand new award, for which McIlroy is ineligible, will reward one of the best efficiency by a European participant over the course of the yr’s 4 majors.
It follows McIlroy turning into the sixth participant — and first European — to finish a profession Grand Slam after his Masters success earlier this yr.
The primary winner of the award will likely be topped on the 2026 Open Championship.
McIlroy is simply the fifth participant to have a European Tour award named in his honour, following on from Seve Ballesteros, Harry Vardon, Sir Henry Cotton and John Jacobs.
“To have one thing named after you, that will likely be introduced to future generations of gamers, is a big honour and it is extremely humbling,” McIlroy stated.
“It definitely means rather a lot to me as a result of the DP World Tour was the place I began my profession. I’ve all the time cherished enjoying on it and, after all, representing Europe and the Tour within the Ryder Cup.
“I am extremely proud to be the primary European to attain the Profession Grand Slam. The Majors characterize the head of our sport, and I hope my success can encourage different DP World Tour members to chase and obtain their very own goals for years to come back.
“I sit up for seeing who turns into the primary recipient of this new award in 2026 and it will likely be one other very proud second for me personally to current the trophy to them.”
McIlroy, in the meantime, believes stepping away from involvement within the sport’s politics has improved his golf and private happiness.
On the peak of the autumn out from the fracture attributable to LIV Golf, the Northern Irishman discovered himself the unofficial spokesman for the PGA Tour, fielding questions on it at each occasion and, as a member of the Tour’s coverage board, being concerned in behind-the-scenes discussions.
However McIlroy has taken a again seat since standing down in November 2023, successful seven occasions together with the Grand Slam-competing Masters victory.
“From a {golfing} perspective, stepping away from the politics and being intimately concerned, it is undoubtedly made me happier from a {golfing} perspective,” McIlroy stated.
“Once I was on the board, I used to be clued in, I talked to folks, I received totally different opinions however on the identical time I felt prefer it was taking away from a few of the different issues I need to do in my life.
“You may’t hold all of the plates spinning on the identical time and one thing needed to give. In the event you take a look at my golf since then, it has been a fairly good run.
“I’ve a transparent head and I am out of all of the political stuff in golf, mainly, and I can simply give attention to enjoying and making myself competitively completely satisfied by enjoying within the tournaments that I need to play.
“And having extra time to make myself personally completely satisfied doing issues I need to do away from golf, travelling with my household and displaying my daughter totally different elements of the world, is a really good place to be in life.”
McIlroy is chasing a fourth-successive Race to Dubai title this week and a seventh Order of Benefit in whole, which might surpass Seve Ballesteros and put him only one behind Colin Montgomerie.
Marco Penge and Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton are the one two gamers who can cease him on the DP World Tour Championship.
Regardless of being based mostly in the USA, McIlroy has maintained sturdy hyperlinks with the DP World Tour he nonetheless considers ‘house’ and he referred to as on different gamers to “step up” their assist.
“With the fractured nature of the boys’s skilled recreation on the minute, this tour wants all of its stars to step up and play within the huge occasions,” McIlroy added.
“I really feel fairly a duty to do this and to attempt to make this tour as sturdy as it could presumably be.”
Tommy Fleetwood, one other a type of stars, has defended himself towards accusations of gamesmanship final week.
The Southport golfer was criticised by tv commentators after leaving fellow Englishman and eventual winner Aaron Rai ready on the tee for his or her play-off on the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
“I really feel prefer it’s disappointing. I’d hope all people is aware of that I would not do something like that and I believe the world of Aaron as properly,” he stated.
“We walked off the 18th and I used to be determined to go to the bathroom … I ran to the bathroom; ran to the tee.”
DP World have prolonged their title sponsorship of the tour till 2035.
