Rory McIlroy handed surprise Sports Personality of the Year nomination

The Sports Personality of the Year’s record books don’t make for good reading for the game of golf.

You’d have to go all the way back to 1989 to see a golfer scoop the prize, as Sir Nick Faldo lifted the award.

The Englishman won his second major championship at the Masters before Team Europe retained the Ryder Cup.

In winning the award, Faldo was the first since Dai Rees in 1957, but the current drought stretches beyond that.

Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy has been shortlisted this year, a surprise nomination given golf’s poor record and the success of the 34-year-old’s season.

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That is by McIlroy’s standards, of course, who rated it a 7/10. In November, he said: “I’ve had a good year, I don’t feel like I’ve had a great year, but I can still go ahead and achieve things.

“Probably give it a 7 out of 10. Played good golf. I had the two wins. I had my best-ever Ryder Cup.”

Before the shortlist was announced, McIlroy was as big as 150/1 with bookmakers to win the BBC award, which is judged by a public vote.

What that says about how golfers have fared is up for debate, but the Northern Irishman remains a longshot at 100/1, the joint outsider.

McIlroy, who was last shortlisted in 2014, earned four points during Europe’s Ryder Cup win in September, his biggest points haul at the biennial event.

Tour wins came at the Scottish Open and Dubai Desert Classic, while registering 13 top-ten finishes in 18 PGA Tour starts.

But the biggest pots eluded McIlroy, who went another year without major championship success. Next year will be a decade since he hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy.

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Broadcasted live from Salford, the chances of golf recording a rare win here look slim, with England Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps a warm favourite.

Cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett and athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson complete the list.

England’s Danny Willett was the last golfer to be nominated for the award. The nomination was based on his stellar 2016, which included a heroic Masters triumph.

However, a record 16 sportspeople were named on the shortlist.

Compatriot Justin Rose was the only other golfer to be nominated in the last ten years. The 43-year-old was the first English winner of the U.S. Open since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

Voting will take place during the show on December 19 and will be live on BBC One.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.