Despite historic achievements in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List. A HMRC tax investigation is reportedly blocking his knighthood.
Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood by King Charles III alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. However, none of the three golfers received the honour this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European to do so. He also shone at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping the European team achieve their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Despite these achievements, McIlroy’s name was not among the 1,157 honorees on the New Year’s Honours List, which is first reviewed by the Cabinet Office and then by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) before submission to the Prime Minister and Monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC intervened, similar to the case of footballer David Beckham who also waited years for his knighthood.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Taxes?
Recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, McIlroy was reportedly involved in urban renewal projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013, which were initially considered legal tax reliefs. Later, HMRC determined these projects constituted tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether the ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ program was exploited to deliberately evade taxes. There is currently no evidence that McIlroy intended to avoid paying taxes.
Since HMRC has a say in knighthood decisions, such a tax investigation can lead to rejection. Neither McIlroy nor the British government has commented on the matter so far.