The DP World Tour has officially cemented the legacy of Rory McIlroy by announcing a new annual trophy in his honor. The Rory McIlroy Award was unveiled Tuesday during the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, celebrating the Northern Irishman’s historic 2025 campaign in which he became the first European to complete the Career Grand Slam.
The award will be presented annually starting in the 2026 season to the DP World Tour member who performs the best across golf’s four Major Championships.
To determine the winner, the Tour will use a points-based system. The recipient will be the member who cumulatively earns the most Race to Dubai points from the following four events: The Masters Tournament, US PGA Championship
U.S. Open, and The Open Championship.
The trophy commemorates McIlroy’s emotional April victory at Augusta National, where he defeated Justin Rose in a playoff to join the most exclusive club in golf.
With his 2025 Masters win, the 36-year-old McIlroy became only the sixth player in history to win all four modern majors. He now stands alongside the greatest legends of the game like Gene Sarazen 1935, Ben Hogan 1953, Gary Player 1965, Jack Nicklaus 1966, Tiger Woods 2000 and Rory McIlroy 2025.
Speaking ahead of his bid for a seventh Race to Dubai title, McIlroy admitted he was initially hesitant about having an award named after him while still active.
“To have something named after you that will be presented to future generations is very humbling,” McIlroy said. “The DP World Tour is where I started my career… I hope my success can inspire other members to chase and achieve their own dreams.”
DP World Tour Chief Executive Guy Kinnings noted that the award is a “permanent legacy” for the Tour’s greatest modern ambassador. “Rory has made such an immense contribution to our Tour and to golf in general. We are incredibly pleased to unveil this in his honor.”
The Rory McIlroy Award joins an elite list of DP World Tour honors named after the sport’s icons:
Seve Ballesteros Award: Players’ Player of the Year.
Harry Vardon Trophy: Awarded to the Race to Dubai winner. Sir Henry Cotton Award: Rookie of the Year. John Jacobs Trophy: Legends Tour Order of Merit winner.
In a selfless gesture, McIlroy and the Tour confirmed that McIlroy himself will be ineligible to win the trophy, ensuring it serves strictly as a goal for fellow members seeking to replicate his Major championship success.
