In a season where Rory McIlroy reminded everyone he’s still got more flair than a Vegas magician, he just snagged the 2024 Seve Ballesteros Award.
Voted on by his fellow pros, this makes the fourth time he’s been crowned Player of the Year on the DP World Tour. Honestly, it’s like he’s got an allergy to mediocrity and a knack for making the extraordinary look downright routine.
McIlroy’s year was the stuff of legend. At 35, the Northern Irishman not only bagged his sixth Harry Vardon Trophy—thanks in part to his timely fourth worldwide win of 2024 at the DP World Tour Championship—but also delivered impressive victories at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and Wells Fargo Championship.
Those performances propelled him to a season-long campaign that mirrored the brilliance of Seve Ballesteros himself, matching the Spanish icon on six season-long rankings triumphs.
A Name That ResonatesThe Player of the Year Award was renamed three years ago to honour the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
For McIlroy, receiving a trophy bearing that name from Seve’s son, Javier, was more than just a symbolic moment; it was a personal one.
And it’s no wonder: McIlroy has won the Hero Dubai Desert Classic a record-breaking four times—an event also claimed by Ballesteros more than three decades ago. That connection isn’t lost on anyone, least of all McIlroy.
“The Seve Ballesteros Award is special because it’s voted on by your peers. They are the ones that have been out there on the course with you week-in, week-out, playing the same golf courses, competing. So to get their vote is very meaningful.
I said to Javier, the legacy that his dad left on not just European golf but global golf will live on forever.
Our whole motivation that we rally around on the Ryder Cup team is Seve, and we feel like we have an advantage because of that.”
An Unstoppable Force in 2024 Consistency was the name of the game for McIlroy.
Starting with a historic fourth Hero Dubai Desert Classic victory—one he snatched from the jaws of near-impossibility, coming from ten shots back to shoot an unbelievable 63 in the third round—McIlroy kept that magic rolling.
Runner-up at the U.S. Open, then consecutive top-five finishes at the Genesis Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, and the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship all kept the momentum alive.
A second-place finish at the Amgen Irish Open only fueled his fire, setting the stage for another DP World Tour Championship win—his third in that event—and his 18th title on the Tour overall.
It’s no wonder that McIlroy earned nearly half the vote from his fellow Tour members. Rising Danish star Rasmus Højgaard finished second in the balloting, while Thriston Lawrence rounded out the top three.
Not bad company for a man who’s also a four-time Major winner and quite possibly the best golfer on the planet not named Tiger or Jack.
A Family Legacy Javier Ballesteros, who travelled to Dubai to present the hardware, wasn’t shy about showing his admiration for McIlroy.
“It’s special for me, my brother and sister to have the Player of the Year Award named after my dad, and it’s obviously special to present it to Rory. I think he’s one of the best players of all time in global golf.
“I told him when I presented him the trophy it was special to watch him at home win his sixth Race to Dubai title, and to speak the way he did about my dad after. I had a few tears in my eyes seeing him.”
His tearful reaction when McIlroy spoke about Seve at the DP World Tour Championship says it all: Seve’s legacy is still inspiring generations of golfers and fans alike, and McIlroy is determined to keep that flame burning.
Reflecting on a Legendary Season Guy Kinnings, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, summed it up best: “Rory’s remarkable consistency and success in 2024 is a fitting tribute to the legacy of Seve Ballesteros.
To win this award for a fourth time, voted for by his fellow peers, is a reflection of the admiration and regard he holds across our sport.
His performances last season, particularly his sixth Race to Dubai title and his victories around the world, were nothing short of exceptional.
“Having Javier Ballesteros present the award in Dubai adds a special significance, bringing the spirit of Seve to this moment.”
As McIlroy eyes the future, one thing is certain: The Seve Ballesteros Award may have found its newest long-term tenant—if Rory keeps playing like this, he might just rename it for himself.
Yet for now, it remains a testament to a soaring spirit who changed the game forever, and to a modern great who continues to do the same.
