Rory McIlroy turned the primary golfer to win back-to-back inexperienced jackets at The Masters since 2002 on Sunday, April 12, however the native of Northern Eire remains to be ready to obtain the final word honor.
After he was snubbed final yr, followers are once more calling for McIlroy, 36, to be knighted after he held off Scottie Scheffler to efficiently defend his title at Augusta Nationwide.
McIlroy, who in 2025 turned the primary European participant to win all 4 of golf’s majors, was denied knighthood final yr after intervention from tax officers, based on the Every day Telegraph.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he is not going to intervene within the resolution and can go away such issues to the UK’s Honours Committee.
“We by no means touch upon honours, and that could be a query for the committee not for me,” Starmer, 63, informed reporters by a spokesperson, based on the Telegraph. “However, clearly, it’s a implausible outcome for Rory McIlroy, large achievement and an enormous, large achievement to have completed it in successive years.”
Honours committees are made up of senior civil servants and impartial authorities officers who decide these deserving of recognition in a wide range of fields, together with sport, science and expertise, public service and training.
Twice per yr, committee members submit suggestions to the monarchy for particular honors together with knighthood and the Order of the British Empire.
McIlroy has opened up previously about the potential of being knighted, telling Sky Sports activities in November 2025 that, “If that have been ever to occur it could be an unbelievably huge honour.”
It’s a convention on the Masters that gamers signal the enduring yellow flags emblazoned with the match emblem — however solely the champion indicators their identify contained in the define of the US that seems within the middle. Rory McIlroy has been ready some time to have the ability to try this, and he’s taking each […]
“That’s clearly as much as individuals much more highly effective and essential than me,” he stated. “However, I imply, if it have been to occur someday, it could be a really proud second in my life.”
Regardless of hypothesis, the character of his doable tax points — if there are any — haven’t been confirmed. In 2015, the UK’s income and customs division investigated McIlroy into investments he made that might have been a tax avoidance scheme.
These investments have been right into a program meant to revitalize elements of Liverpool, Birmingham and Sheffield, which might permit buyers to assert as much as one hundred pc tax reduction. Nothing unlawful was ever uncovered and no proof has emerged that McIlroy was attempting to keep away from paying taxes.
The Telegraph stories that one authorities supply in contrast McIlroy’s snub to that of David Beckham, whose knighthood was blocked for years after a “crimson flag” was positioned on his nomination because of his alleged position in a tax avoidance scheme.
Beckham, 50, was lastly knighted in November 2025.
Although McIlroy remains to be ready to obtain the dignity, the UK authorities has not ignored his historic win totally. The Royal Household posted a congratulatory message to him through X on Monday, April 13.
“Congratulations Rory McIlroy in your extraordinary back-to-back win on the Masters,” the publish learn.
