Golf Writers name Rory McIlroy as their Player of Year for a third time
NEWS RELEASE
Rory
McIlroy has won the Association of Golf Writers trophy, joining Seve
Ballesteros and Lee Westwood as the only golfers in the long history of
the prestigious award to win it on three separate occasions.
The
26 year old, a runaway winner in 2012 and last year, was a narrow
victor on this occasion, just edging Britain and Ireland’s Walker Cup
team, who pulled off a record 16.5-9.5 triumph over America’s leading
amateurs at Royal Lytham and St Annes in September.
Third
place went to Englishman Andy Sullivan following his wonderful
breakthrough campaign on the European Tour when, alongside McIlroy, he
was the only three-time winner.
McIlroy’s
tremendous performance in winning the season-ending DP World Tour
Championship to claim the Race to Dubai was clearly the clinching factor, and the Northern Irishman was delighted to receive the news in Dublin yesterday.
‘When
you think of the contributions that Seve and Lee made to European golf
over the years, I am delighted to be linked with them at such an early
age, and clearly I’m hoping to do enough to win the AGW trophy in future
years as well,’ said McIlroy.
‘Winning
in Dubai again meant a huge amount to me and enabled me to look at the
year as a whole in a different light. It has also given me that bit of
momentum going into next season. I’d also like to congratulate our
Walker Cup team as well on their stunning success. It must have been a
very difficult decision for the golf writers.’
The
AGW trophy, started in 1951, seeks to award the person or persons, born
or resident in Europe, who have made the most outstanding contribution
to golf over the previous 12 months. Mcilroy became just the fourth
golfer to win it in consecutive years, following Tony Jacklin (1969 and
1970), Peter Oosterhuis (1973 and 1974) and Padraig Harrington (2007 and
2008).
Derek
Lawrenson, golf correspondent of the Daily Mail and Chairman of the
AGW, said: ’This was the closest vote we’ve seen for the AGW Trophy in
over a decade and while you get the feeling that come the end of his
career this will not go down as one of Rory’s great seasons, the fact is
he still won four times worldwide, which made him a worthy recipient.
No golfer has ever won the AGW Trophy four times but, given his age and
ability, this will surely prove to be one more European record Rory will
hold in the not too distant future.’
Bernie McGuire
Secretary,
AGW
Labels: GOLF NEWS
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