Rory McIlroy snubs SPOTY invite and doesn't even appear via video link
Rory McIlroy failed to attend the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony - despite being nominated for the main prize.
The ceremony took place in Salford on Tuesday, with Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps claiming the main award as expected. She finished ahead of former cricketer Stuart Broad in second and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson in third in the public vote.
McIlroy was one of the six nominees up for the main prize, although few thought the golfer would win it after another year without a major title. It'll be a decade next year since the four-time major winner last won one of golf's four big individual events.
McIlroy was nominated after winning the DP Tour's Race to Dubai for a fifth time and helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome. He decided against attending Tuesday's ceremony and was the only nominee who did not speak to the BBC on the night.
Nominees are expected to speak live at the ceremony, whether that be in person or via video link. Yet McIlroy - who watched his beloved Manchester United take on Liverpool at Anfield just two days before - didn't make an appearance at all on Tuesday.
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Only two golfers have ever been named as the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Dai Rees won the award in 1957 after captaining Great Britain (which became the European team in 1979) to glory at the Ryder Cup - ending a 24-year wait for victory.
Rory McIlroy attended Liverpool's game against Manchester United on Sunday - but missed the BBC Sport Personality of the Year ceremony two days later (Getty Images)Do you think Rory McIlroy was right to snub the BBC? Let us know in the comments below!
Nick Faldo was the most recent golfer to win the prestigious prize. He picked up the award in 1989 after winning the Masters, the first of his six major titles. Faldo won the Masters and Open the following year but, remarkably, didn't even make the top three.
As for McIlroy, he finished second in the vote in 2014 behind Lewis Hamilton - despite winning the Ryder Cup, Open and US PGA. Hamilton clinched the prize after ending his six-year wait for a second Formula 1 world title. He's now a seven-time world champion.
Earps, who saved a penalty in England's Women's World Cup final defeat to Spain, was the favourite to be named as the BBC Sports Personalty of the Year on Tuesday. The Manchester United goalkeeper insisted she was "really, really grateful" to receive the prize.
Mary Earps was named as this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year (David Davies/PA Wire)Earps added: "I would not be here without my team-mates... because we've achieved some incredible things over the last couple of years. While individual accolades are great, they only come after team success. This is their trophy just as much as mine."
The BBC declined to comment on McIlroy's failure to do an interview for the programme.
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