Rory McIlroy 2026 prospects evaluated after Sports Personality of the Year success
Rory McIlroy has been installed among the leading contenders for all four major championships in 2026 following a glorious past 12 months for the County Down-born star.
2025 saw McIlroy finally capture the Masters, completing a career Grand Slam and ending a long pursuit of the Green Jacket. Victory at Augusta removed what many suggested was the missing piece of the jigsaw from an already distinguished career.
Masters success was followed later in the year by further team honours as McIlroy played his part in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory, once again underlining his ability to deliver on golf’s most pressurised stage.
His achievements were recognised last week when he was named both BBC Sports Personality of the Year and RTÉ Sports Person of the Year.
And McIlroy, who turned 36 in May, has already been installed among the leading contenders for all four major championships in 2026 by BetVictor.
The Northern Irishman is priced at 6/1 to win both the Masters and the U.S. PGA Championship, 8/1 for the U.S. Open and 7/1 to lift the Claret Jug at The Open Championship.
Reflecting McIlroy’s status at the top end of the men’s game and his ability to compete across a wide range of courses and conditions, the prices listed are hard to argue with. Few players of the modern era have demonstrated the same level of consistency and longevity in major championships and on the biggest stage.
Away from the course, McIlroy, a father of two, has acknowledged that fatherhood has helped him gain perspective, contributing to a calmer outlook as his career has entered a more mature phase.