McIlroy receives the Mark McCormack award

Rory McIlroy collected yet another award in recognition of his magnificent 2014 season, receiving the Mark McCormack award which honours the player who spent the most number of weeks as number one on the Official World Golf Ranking during each calendar year.

Tony Greer, the man who realised McCormack’s vision by devising the initial system resulting in the launch of the First Official World Golf Ranking nearly 30years ago, handed over the award to the Northern Irishman during the BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship event.

It is the first time this award has been presented in Europe and the third time a European player has received it. Luke Donald was the recipient in 2011 and McIlroy in 2012, after Tiger Woods won it 13 years in a row following its inception in 1998, with the American also receiving the award in 2013.

McIlroy, whose superb run of form began with his victory in last year’s BMW PGA Championship, took over the World Number One spot from Adam Scott on August 3, 2014 following his victory in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. He has held the position since then, recording 13 top ten finishes, including victory in the 2014 US PGA Championship, as well as wins this season in the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the WGC Cadillac Match Play and at the Wells Fargo Championship on the US PGA Tour last week.

Should McIlroy retain the number one spot through to The Open Championship in July, he would be assured of the 2015 McCormack award.