Rory McIlroy to Attend Sports Personality of the Year Awards
Masters champion Rory McIlroy plans to attend next month’s Sports Personality of the Year (Spoty) awards for the first time in over ten years. He aims to help end golf’s unusual 36-year winless streak in the BBC event.
Changing Attitude Towards Spoty
McIlroy, who was controversially runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in 2014 despite being the first UK male golfer to win back-to-back majors in the modern era, had previously shown indifference to the awards. Now, he is convinced that the exposure could benefit golf in the UK.
“Yeah, the plan is to go,” McIlroy told Telegraph Sport at Yas Links. “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. I suppose if I don’t win it this time, I never will.”
Mastering the Grand Slam but Not the Favorite
Although McIlroy is aware he is not the favorite to win, his recent achievement is remarkable. In April, he became only the sixth player ever to complete the career grand slam by winning the Masters.
Despite the significance of this victory, bookmakers currently favor Chloe Kelly, the footballer celebrated for her key role in England Women’s European Championship win last summer, as the front-runner.
Summary
Rory McIlroy will attend the Sports Personality of the Year awards determined to break golf’s long drought, recognizing the positive impact of the event despite not being the favorite to win.