Rory McIlroy has addressed questions surrounding a potential knighthood, saying he has 'no idea' whether his tax affairs have played a role in the honour not being bestowed upon him. The Northern Irish golfer, who won the Masters in 2025 to complete a career Grand Slam, faced queries during a press conference ahead of the 154th Open Championship.
McIlroy was awarded an MBE after his first major victory in 2011, but calls for a knighthood following his Masters win have not been acted upon. Reports in The Telegraph in December alleged his involvement in a tax avoidance scheme, though McIlroy had not previously commented. When asked if his financial affairs were a factor, he replied: 'I have no idea. If that honour were bestowed on me one day, that would be amazing, but yeah, I have no idea.'
He also confirmed he had not inquired about why his name was absent from the honours list. The scheme in question, involving regeneration projects in Birmingham, Liverpool and Sheffield, was declared lawful after a 2015 investigation, though tax authorities retained rights to pursue payments later. There is no suggestion McIlroy deliberately avoided tax.
Focusing on the tournament, McIlroy said: 'It's always good to be back at The Open. For someone from this part of the world, this is obviously a huge championship.' His sole Open win came in 2014, and he aims for a seventh major title this week at the Lancashire coast event running from 16-19 July.
