Despite historic achievements in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List amid an HMRC tax review.
Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood from King Charles III alongside English golfers Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald. However, none of the three received the honor this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European to achieve this feat. He also shone at the 2025 Ryder Cup, helping Team Europe secure their first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Yet, McIlroy’s name was not listed among the 1,157 honorees on the New Year’s Honours List, which is first reviewed by the Cabinet Office and then His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the UK tax authority, before being submitted to the Prime Minister and the Monarch. According to a report from the British Telegraph, HMRC intervened, similarly to when footballer David Beckham’s knighthood was delayed due to tax scrutiny.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Taxes?
McIlroy, recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, was involved in urban regeneration projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013. These projects qualified as legal tax relief schemes and were initially approved by authorities. Later, HMRC contended these projects constituted tax avoidance and are currently investigating if the so-called ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ was exploited to deliberately evade taxes. There is currently no evidence suggesting McIlroy intentionally avoided tax payments.
Since HMRC has a say in knighthood decisions, such suspicion or ongoing investigations can lead to denial of the honor. Neither McIlroy nor the UK government has commented on the matter so far.