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McIlroy robbed? Sports Personality of the Year

By: Golf Shake | Mon 15 Dec 2014


Post by sports writer Derek Clements


Sports Personality of the Year? They have got to be kidding! Yet again, the BBC's prize has been won by a racing driver. Not just any racing driver, mind you, but Lewis Hamilton.

Mind you, Nigel Mansell won it twice and nobody ever accused him of having a personality either.

Hamilton the man-child, Hamilton the spoilt child, Hamilton the hissy fit, Hamilton the "if you don't let me win I will take my car away". The man with as much personality as a tin of beige paint.

Okay, so it was Hamilton's second world championship, but suspicions that it is all down to his car are supported by the fact that the man who finished right behind him was his own teammate.

Can anybody explain to me how on earth Hamilton finished ahead of Rory McIlroy, the best golfer on the planet, the best European golfer ever to walk the planet and somebody who could be destined to become the greatest golfer of all time?

SPOTY 2014 -McIlroy

He won The Open, US PGA, BMW PGA and the WGC event at Firestone. He was a key member of Europe's winning Ryder Cup team, topped the money list in America and Europe, and finished with the lowest stroke average on both tours. He was also named PGA player of the year, golf writers' player of the year and will be named European Tour player of the year. And he used his own body to hit the golf ball, not a Mercedes-powered engine!

There is also the fact that McIlroy does not whinge or whine when he loses. He simply acknowledges that he has been beaten by the better man on the day. The Northern Irishman comes from a humble background, and has parents who took on extra jobs to help their son achieve his dreams. He knows how lucky he is, and is completely unaffected by his status as a global superstar.

People who grew up with him insist that he hasn't changed one little bit, and anybody who has met him will tell you that they have been entranced by his enthusiasm and his genuine interest in what they have had to say. It takes a special kind of individual to answer a question he has been asked 1,000 times in a way that makes the inquisitor feel that what they have asked has provided an opportunity to provide genuine insight into that celebrity's life. In other words, not only he is a great sportsman, but he actually has a personality!

I am taking nothing away from Hamilton's ability as a Formula One driver - he is superb. But before the Sports Personality event, held in Glasgow for the first time,  Hamilton said: "I’m excited to be going. I went in 2007 and 2008 and I’m certain that back then I didn’t even have one hundredth of the support I have right now.

“That support has really grown over the years. The fans have just been amazing, incredible. A lot of Brits have come up to me and told me how proud they are, that they are huge fans.”

Even Hamilton recognised that what McIlroy achieved in 2014 was pretty special. “I messaged Rory, wishing him all the best for it [the Sports Personality of the Year award]. I also congratulated him on an incredible year because he has been phenomenal, and at his age too.”

After finishing runner-up in his F1 debut year of 2007 to Joe Calzaghe and again in his first title-winning season of 2008 to Sir Chris Hoy, Hamilton expected to finish second for a third time.

“I remember ‘08 and losing to a Sir, so I didn’t mind that,” said Hamilton. “But I don’t think I have to win anything more than I have, or to show what I’ve achieved, or to prove how much support I have.

“And this isn’t like I’m going for the world championship and I’m dying to win it with everything in my power. Instead this is one of those events where you feel quite privileged to be amongst all the great stars also there."

Hamilton, lest we forget, has at times barely been able to look Nico Rosberg, his teammate, in the eye - especially on the occasions where the Englishman has been beaten by Rosberg and has hinted at conspiracies within the Mercedes team.

McIlroy? He is the man who, in the heat of battle while waiting to hit a shot during the final round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, walked across to Oliver Wilson, looking for his first win as a professional and who had lost the lead, and told him to "hang in there". He was also the first to congratulate Wilson on his victory.

Upon receiving the trophy, Hamilton was at least gracious enough to turn to Rory and say that the Northern Irishman deserved to be holding the main trophy and not the runners-up prize. Hamilton and McIlroy will, no doubt, be on the shortlist again in 12 months time. I, for one, will be voting for Rory on redial, and I suggest you all do the same.

Besides, we simply can't have a man winning the BBC Sports Personality of the Year who wears not one but two diamond earrings.

Image Credit: Twitter @BBCSport


Derek Clements is a sports journalist with a particular passion for golf with over 12 years of experience covering golf and other sports including Chief Sub-Editor on the sports desk of The Sunday Times. To contact Derek email direct via [email protected]


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