Despite historic achievements in 2025, Rory McIlroy is absent from the New Year’s Honours List due to a tax investigation.
North Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was considered a favorite for a knighthood by King Charles III, alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who is also from England. However, all three golfers missed out this year. In 2025, McIlroy completed his career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, becoming the first European ever to do so. At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the 36-year-old also shone with Team Europe, securing their first away win since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Despite this, McIlroy’s name did not appear 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 being presented to the Prime Minister and Monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC reportedly intervened, similar to the case of soccer player David Beckham who also waited years before receiving his knighthood.
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, which were considered legal tax reliefs and initially accepted by authorities. However, HMRC later deemed these projects to constitute tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether the schemes exploited the “Business Premises Renovation Allowance” to deliberately evade taxes. There is currently no evidence that McIlroy intended to avoid tax payments.
Since HMRC has a role in decisions regarding knighthoods, such suspicions or investigations can lead to refusal of the honour. Neither McIlroy nor the UK government have commented on the matter so far.