Rory McIlroy is one of ten contenders for the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, hoping to become the first golfer to win the award since Sir Nick Faldo in 1989.
The winner will be chosen through a public vote on Sunday night, with fans casting their vote over the phone and online via the BBC Website.
Earlier this week Graeme McDowell came out in support of his countryman and at the end of a year many experts are calling the greatest in the history of European golf, the public recognition for the best golfer in world would cap a phenomenal campaign.
Derek Lawrenson and Jamie Corrigan, two of the most authoritative voices in our sport as golf correspondents of the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph respectively, today gave their views on why McIlroy should win.
Rory McIlroy can drive golf into new era with SPOTY win – Read more on telegraph.co.uk
Favourite for the BBC's Sports Personality Award, Rory McIlroy reflects on his year: I want to win it for golf... the sport is in trouble and I can boost it like Tiger did Read more on dailymail.co.uk
It would be big for golf, wouldn’t it?’ said McIlroy. ‘Growing up in a sports-mad household, it was certainly a programme I always watched. It was a chance to see some of the greats of British sport being honoured. So I’m really pleased to be part of the conversation.
‘I think when you look at the names of the winners it’s understandable why it has been a while since a golfer has won. We’ve had great footballers like David Beckham and Ryan Giggs, we’ve had the cyclists, the Olympics in 2012 and Andy Murray winning Wimbledon.
‘Having said that, this would be a great time for a golfer to win. If the wider public see a golfer doing his stuff on a programme like this, it might spark a greater interest.
‘Of course, there will always be interest in golf. But it might give it an injection of excitement, like it had in the mid-90s with Faldo and Seve, or when Tiger came along.”
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