Tommy Fleetwood will take his place alongside Rory McIlroy at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards in Salford on December 18. This will mark a standout year for British golf. BBC Sport has shortlisted Rory McIlroy for the SPOTY award based on his Masters triumph, Ryder Cup success, and his 7th Race to Dubai title.

Although Fleetwood will not compete for an individual honour, his presence underlines Europe’s Ryder Cup success. The European team is nominated for the Team of the Year award alongside Europe’s football team. The English golfer will be there representing his team. And it is befitting, considering that he collected four of the five points available for individuals. This included key wins in foursomes alongside McIlroy and Jon Rahm.

Thanks to his performance along with other European team members, they were able to edge past the American team for a 15-13 victory. It was a close call, as the American team attempted what could have been the best comeback in the history of the biennial event. But thanks to the overwhelming lead Europe took over the American team, they fell short by a couple of points.

His attendance with Rory McIlroy comes at a time when the Northern Irishman is seeking to finally claim the sport’s most high-profile UK award. In fact, the sole reason the 2025 Masters champion gave for attending the ceremony was to increase his chances of winning.

“Yeah, the plan is to go,” Rory McIlroy told The Telegraph. “I have more chance of winning if I’m actually there and I recognise that with the audience the show attracts it could only be a good thing for the game.”

The Northern Irishman arrives in Salford as a clear favorite for the individual prize. His betting odds are 8/13. However, he also faces strong competition from Lando Norris following his dramatic win at Abu Dhabi. There’s also Chloe Kelly with 6/1 betting odds.

While Rory McIlroy arrives at Salford as a favorite, it would still be hard for him to win. Notably, there are some pretty good reasons behind this.

Firstly, BBC Sport does not broadcast any golf events. This can result in a bias towards athletes who play sports that BBC Sport shows. Another fact is that there have been only two golfers to ever win the BBC SPOTY award. Dai Rees won it in 1957, and Nick Faldo received it in 1989. While McIlroy himself has been nominated on multiple occasions, he has never won.

The closest that the 29x PGA Tour winner came to a win was the runner-up position in 2014. He was snubbed out despite winning two majors in a single year. The career Grand Slam winner was the UK’s first male golfer to do so in the modern era. Therefore, he even went on to say that it is his last chance of winning the trophy.

“I suppose if I don’t win it this time, I never will,” Rory McIlroy said. “Whenever I saw the results, I forgot I was nominated. So that’s how much I think about it. It’s a popularity contest. It’s not what it once was.”

The previous winners also hint at why it would be challenging for Rory McIlroy. For the past 6 years, all the winners have been English. To add to that, the last four winners of the BBC SPOTY were female. And two of them were Lionesses. This gives Chloe Kelly an edge over Rory McIlroy.

The 5x major champion is not the only one to think that the BBC SPOTY award is not the same as it once was. Many fans, athletes, and expert commentators feel the same.

Piers Morgan backs Rory McIlroy for the BBC SPOTY win

Piers Morgan is arguing that there is no one else except Rory McIlroy who should win the BBC SPOTY 2025. He echoes the Northern Irishman’s 2014 fate and says that he should not face the same fate again.

“If @McIlroyRory doesn’t win this,” Morgan wrote on X, “it will render SPOTY utterly pointless and irrelevant.”

He said that if McIlroy was not already among the elites, his 2025 season sure has got him there. It was a transforming year, with completing a career Grand Slam to winning the Ryder Cup on away soil for the first time since 2012.

Just like 2014, when the 29x PGA Tour winner lost to Lewis Hamilton, he again faces strong competition from an F1 driver. This time, it is the new world champion, Lando Norris. With Luke Littler, Ellie Kildunne, Chloe Kelly, and Hannah Hampton in the mix, it is one of the strongest fields the BBC SPOTY has had in a few years. However, McIlroy still remains the crowd favorite, and Piers Morgan believes that he should win, too.

As Tommy Fleetwood represents Team Europe and Rory McIlroy pushes for long-overdue recognition, the 2025 BBC SPOTY ceremony reflects a defining year for golf on the biggest UK sporting stage. Whether popularity prevails or achievement takes centre stage, McIlroy’s presence ensures the spotlight firmly remains on the sport.