New DP World Tour award named in career grand slam winner Rory McIlroy's honour

The Rory McIlroy Award will be presented to the DP World Tour member who performs best across all four majors in a season in terms of picking up Race to Dubai points. It is being introduced for the 2026 season, with the only player ineligible being McIlroy himself.

The new award was announced in Dubai ahead of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, where McIlroy is bidding to land a seventh Race to Dubai title.

It joins the Seve Ballesteros Trophy, Harry Vardon Trophy, Sir Henry Cotton Award and John Jacobs Trophy as annual European Tour Group awards named after players who have made a significant contribution to the game.

“To have something named after you, that will be presented to future generations of players, is a huge honour and it is very humbling,” admitted McIlroy, who joined Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won all four majors when he landed The Masters in April.

“It certainly means a lot to me because the DP World Tour was where I started my career. I’ve always loved playing on it and, of course, representing Europe and the tour in the Ryder Cup.”

The world No 2 added: “I’m incredibly proud to be the first European to achieve the career grand slam. The majors represent the pinnacle of our sport, and I hope my success can inspire other DP World Tour members to chase and achieve their own dreams for years to come.

“I look forward to seeing who becomes the first recipient of this new award in 2026 and it will be another very proud moment for me personally to present the trophy to them.”

The Seve Ballesteros Award is presented annually to the member voted Players’ Player of the Year while the Harry Vardon Trophy goes to the Race to Dubai winner. The Rookie of the Year receives the Sir Henry Cotton Award and the John Jacobs Trophy is presented to the winner of the Legends Tour Order of Merit.

New award will be a ‘permanent legacy’

“Whilst Rory will no doubt go on to achieve many more great things during his career, as a Tour we wanted to commemorate his historic achievement this year of becoming the first European winner of the career grand slam,” said Guy Kinnings, the DP World Tour’s chief executive.

“This new award will be a permanent legacy that we hope will inspire future generations of DP World Tour members aiming to follow in Rory’s footsteps on golf’s biggest stage.

“Rory has already made such an immense contribution to our Tour and to golf in general across his career to date. He is also a wonderful ambassador for global golf, so we are incredibly pleased to unveil The Rory McIlroy Award in his honour.”