Rory McIlroy has paid homage to his wife Erica as he was crowned Sports Personality of the Year.
The the golfer won the award, fending off stiff competition from England rugby star Ellie Kildunne, who finished second in the vote, with Formula One champion Lando Norris completing the top three.
In his speech, McIlroy described 2025 as an "incredible year", while also insisting that he is far from finished achieving success. He also paid tribute to his wife Erica, calling her his "rock".
"‘2025 has been the year I made my dream come true, from Augusta to the Ryder Cup and everything else in between", McIlroy said. "My wife Erica, my daughter Poppy – they’re what holds me together, my rock. They couldn’t be here tonight, they’re back in America but I can’t wait to get back to see them tomorrow and celebrate with them. Thank you for your support and everything you’ve done for me".
Reflecting on his achievements, McIlroy said: "It’s been an incredible 12 months, and I want to enjoy everything I’ve done. But at the same time, this isn’t it for me I have a lot more I want to achieve".
2025 has been hugely successful for McIlroy, which saw him make history by completing a career Grand Slam following his dramatic victory at the Masters, which saw him add his name to a very elite list which includes Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
This year also saw the Down native play a key part in Europe's Ryder Cup victory in the USA, their first since 2012. He also won his seventh Race to Dubai title, his fourth win in a row, leaving him one shy of Colin Montgomerie's record of eight European Tour title wins.
Looking ahead to 2026, he added: "I’d love to give Colin’s record a go. I still feel the enthusiasm for the game, and as long as I have that drive to keep getting better, that’s the most important thing".
Elsewhere, McIlroy also went on to say that he will take some time off over the festive period to reflect on the passed 12 months.
"I don’t know what I’m going to do in 2026 to top it, but I’m going to try,' he said with a smile", he said.
McIlroy was also joined on stage by close friend and fellow golfer, Tommy Fleetwood. The night also saw Team Europe being crowned Team of the Year following their Ryder Cup success.
This year also saw Rory McIlroy call off divorce proceedings with his wife Erica. More on this story here.
