Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List. A HMRC tax review is reportedly blocking his knighthood.
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 left out 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 Team Europe to their first away victory since 2012 on the Bethpage State Park course near New York City.
Nevertheless, 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 – the British tax authority) before being submitted to the Prime Minister and the monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC is said to have intervened, similar to the case of footballer David Beckham who waited several years before receiving his knighthood.
Did Rory McIlroy Intentionally Avoid Tax Payments?
Recently named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, McIlroy was involved in urban renewal projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, and Sheffield in 2013, which were initially regarded as legal tax reliefs by authorities. Later, HMRC determined these projects constituted tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether they exploited the ‘Business Premises Renovation Allowance’ program to deliberately evade taxes. There is currently no evidence suggesting McIlroy intentionally sought to avoid tax payments.
However, since HMRC participates in decisions regarding knighthoods, such an investigation or suspicion can lead to denial of the honor. Neither the Northern Irish player nor the British government has commented on this matter so far.