Rory McIlroy and Team Europe win big at BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025

Rory McIlroy and Team Europe enjoyed a night to remember at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2025, with McIlroy crowned Sports Personality of the Year and Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup side named Team of the Year. It was a fitting double celebration for European golf after a memorable and historic season, winning both awards for the first time in the sport’s history.

For McIlroy, the individual accolade capped a career‑defining year, with the 36‑year‑old becoming only the third golfer to win the prestigious award, following Sir Nick Faldo in 1989 and Dai Rees in 1957.

His recognition comes on the back of a season in which he finally completed the career Grand Slam with victory at the Masters in April, added statement wins at Pebble Beach, THE PLAYERS Championship and the Amgen Irish Open, and secured a seventh Race to Dubai crown. He also played a central role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph at Bethpage in September, contributing three and a half points from five matches as Donald’s men ended a 13‑year wait for success on American soil.

"Wow. First of all, I would like to congratulate all of the other finalists," McIlroy said in his acceptance speech. "I know how much hard work and dedication it takes, so it is a pleasure to just be in this room. I feel truly honoured to just be a part of it.

"2025 has been the year I made my dreams come true. From Augusta to the Ryder Cup and everything in between. It's the year dreams are made of.

"I have a lot of people to thank. Firstly, the public, my family, my mum and my dad. They sacrificed so much for me. I wouldn't be here without them, so thank you. My wife Erica and my daughter Poppy, they are what holds me together. My rock. They couldn't be here tonight but I can't wait to get back tomorrow and celebrate this with them. I love you.

"And to the BBC for hosting these awards. It has always been something growing up that I watched on TV. It was always a big part of the run up to Christmas, so I am very honoured to get my hands on this trophy. Hopefully I can challenge to get it again next year!

"Thank you everyone. It truly is an honour."

The Masters victory was the moment that defined McIlroy’s year. For more than a decade, the Green Jacket at Augusta National had been the missing piece of his career puzzle, and in April he defeated Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose in a dramatic play‑off to secure his fifth Major title. Dropping to his knees before letting out a roar that echoed around Augusta, the emotion of the moment reflected the release of 11 years of pressure and expectation.

“I think I’ve carried that burden since August 2014. It’s nearly 11 years,” McIlroy said afterwards. “It was a heavy weight to carry, and thankfully now I don’t have to. It frees me up, and I know I’m coming back here every year, which is lovely.”

His Masters triumph arrived in the middle of an extraordinary campaign. He opened the year with victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro‑Am, held off JJ Spaun in a Monday play‑off to win THE PLAYERS Championship, and thrilled home fans with a second triumph at the Amgen Irish Open. He added five further top tens on the DP World Tour, culminating in a dramatic final‑hole eagle at the season‑ending DP World Tour Championship that forced a play‑off with Matt Fitzpatrick. Although edged out of the tournament title, his performance secured a seventh Race to Dubai crown, moving him ahead of the late, great Seve Ballesteros and to within one of Colin Montgomerie’s all‑time record of eight.

In September, McIlroy helped deliver one of Europe’s greatest achievements: a Ryder Cup victory away from home. At Bethpage, he proved himself once again as a leader, contributing three and a half points from five matches as Europe became only the fifth visiting team in history to win on American soil.

That Ryder Cup triumph was itself honoured with the BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year 2025 award for Europe's dramatic victory. Led by a Captain lauded by his players and opponents as one of the best in European history, the most unchanged European side ever completed their Fairytale in New York in September, defeating the United States on away soil for the first time since the Miracle of Medinah in 2012.

Making a plethora of history along the way, Donald’s European side became the first European team to win each of the first four sessions of a Ryder Cup on away soil. They won each of the first three matches played in a Ryder Cup on American soil for the first time, won the cumulative four-ball battle for the first time since 2010, and also became the first team on either side since Europe became part of the Ryder Cup in 1979 to amass an 11.5-4.5 lead heading into Sunday. While it was by no means an easy path in the end, Europe proved the importance of unity in the team room as they supported each other to a fifth away victory, ultimately winning 15-13. With it, Donald joined Tony Jacklin (1985, 1987) as just the second European Captain to win back-to-back victories and earning an accolade from losing United States Captain Keegan Bradley as the best of all time.

The double success at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards underlines the scale of European golf’s achievements in 2025. McIlroy’s long‑awaited Masters win and Race to Dubai history, combined with Europe’s Ryder Cup heroics, produced one of the defining sporting stories of the year — and now both individual and team have been recognised on one of Britain’s biggest sporting stages.

Speaking on behalf of the European Ryder Cup Team with Tommy Fleetwood, McIlroy said: "As a lot of other sports people in this room know, it's an honour to be a part of these teams.

"I want to say congratulations to the England Women's football team and the Red Roses too, what you have done this year has been absolutely amazing. We're up here as two of the 12 players. We also had the captain, vice captains and all of the backroom team - we could not have done what we did without all of them. Everyone watching at home, thank you so much."