Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List amid an ongoing HMRC tax review.
The Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood by King Charles III, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, also from England. However, all three golfers were omitted from this year’s list. In 2025, McIlroy made history by completing his career Grand Slam with a Masters win, becoming the first European to do so. He also starred at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping Team Europe clinch their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Nevertheless, McIlroy’s name was not among the 1157 honorees on the New Year’s Honours List, which undergoes review by the Cabinet Office followed by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) before submission to the Prime Minister and the Monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, the HMRC intervened in a similar manner to when footballer David Beckham’s knighthood was delayed by tax issues, causing McIlroy’s recognition to be withheld.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Taxes?
McIlroy, recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was involved in urban renewal projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013 that initially qualified as legal tax reliefs. Later, however, the HMRC determined these projects to constitute tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether McIlroy exploited the “Business Premises Renovation Allowance” scheme to deliberately reduce tax payments. So far, there is no evidence suggesting McIlroy intended to evade taxes.
Since the HMRC plays a key role in knighthood decisions, the ongoing tax review may prevent the honour from being granted. Neither Rory McIlroy nor the UK government have commented on the matter to date.