The 'Seve Ballesteros Award', as the best player of the DP World Tour 2024, goes to Rory McIlroy. For the fourth time in his career, after being voted 'player of the year' in 2012, 2014 and 2015, the world number 3 received the coveted award. With 46% of the preferences expressed by his colleagues, the Northern Irishman beat the competition of the Dane Rasmus Hojgaard and the South African Thriston Lawrence. McIlroy was awarded in Dubai by one of Ballesteros' sons, Javier, who arrived in the United Arab Emirates for the Hero Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series of the DP World Tour 2025 scheduled from tomorrow to Sunday 19 January at the Emirates Golf Club.
McIlroy, statements
"This is a special recognition, which comes thanks to the vote of my colleagues. I told Javier Ballesteros that the legacy left by his father will remain engraved forever, not only in European golf, but worldwide", McIlroy's satisfaction.
He was born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, where he attended Sullivan Upper School. He belongs to the Holywood Golf Club, where he began his first training sessions followed by Michael Bannon, a coach he has retained until today.
McIlroy was part of the winning team of the Junior Ryder Cup in 2004, while in 2005 he became the youngest winner of both Irish tournaments, the West of Ireland Championship and the Irish Close Championship.
Also in 2005, at the North of Ireland Championship, played at The Royal Portrush, he broke the course record with a 61 at the age of 16, a record still unbeaten in 2019 at the occasion of The Open Championship, played at The Royal Portrush.
In August 2006, he won the European Amateur Championship stage held at the Golf Club Le Betulle in Biella, Piedmont, with a score of 274 strokes (65-69-72-68), 3 less than Englishman Lewton Stephen.
In October 2006, he represented Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy and the Amateur World Team Championship.
On February 6, 2007, he became the second man to lead the World Amateur Golf Rankings, although he lost the lead after just one week.
McIlroy shot an opening round of 68, 3 under par, at the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, which put him in provisional third place, three shots off the leader. In the same opening round, he was also the only player in the field to finish without a single bogey. In the second round he shot 5 over par to bring him to +2 overall, but still earned access to the third round by making the cut. In the third round he finished 2 over par, while in the fourth he finished 1 over par, finishing in 42nd place, the best of the amateurs.
