Despite historic successes in 2025, Rory McIlroy is not on the New Year’s Honours List. An HMRC review likely blocks his knighthood for now.
North Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was among the favorites for a knighthood by King Charles III alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, 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 to do so. At the 2025 Ryder Cup, the 36-year-old shone with Team Europe, securing the team’s first away victory since 2012 at Bethpage State Park near New York City.
Yet, McIlroy’s name was absent from the 1157 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 submitted to the Prime Minister and the Monarch. According to a report by the British Telegraph, HMRC intervened, reminiscent of the tax scrutiny that delayed footballer David Beckham’s knighthood by several years.
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 considered legal tax reliefs and recognized as such by authorities. Later, HMRC concluded these projects constituted tax avoidance and is currently investigating whether they exploited the “Business Premises Renovation Allowance” scheme to deliberately evade taxes. So far, there is no evidence that McIlroy intentionally sought to avoid tax payments.
However, since HMRC influences knighthood decisions, the ongoing tax review can cause a rejection of the honor. Neither McIlroy nor the British government have commented on the matter so far.