Rory McIlroy has announced he will attend the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony this year in what marks a significant U-turn. The Northern Irishman has enjoyed a fairytale 2025, winning the Masters to become only the sixth golfer in history to win all four majors. McIlroy delivered one of the sporting stories of the year with his triumph at Augusta NationalGettyIt ended a painful 11-year major drought for McIlroy, who also helped Europe claim an away Ryder Cup for the first time in 13 years. The 36-year-old is second-favourite to win the BBC’s SPOTY award behind Lionesses superstar Chloe Kelly. However, last time McIlroy was nominated in 2023, he did not bother to turn up. In fact, the world no.2 golfer was so ambivalent towards the event, he declined to appear via video link.Speaking afterwards, McIlroy said: “I forgot I’d even been nominated.”He added: “So that’s how much I think about it.“Look, it’s a popularity contest and I think it’s just not really what it once was.”Golf has a complicated relationship with the BBC after 36 years without recognition at SPOTY, dating back to Sir Nick Faldo’s win in 1989 – the year McIlroy was born. Matt Fitzpatrick was not nominated despite his victory at the US Open in 2022, while Georgia Hall was also overlooked after winning The Women’s Open as a 22-year-old in 2018.McIlroy surprisingly missed out on the award to Lewis Hamilton in 2014 despite bagging two majors and starring on a winning Ryder Cup team. McIlroy will attend SPOTY this year for the good of the gameGettySome believe this is symptomatic of a wider apathy towards golf from the BBC, who lost live coverage of The Open in 2015. But 11 years later, the five-time major winner will end his boycott of the event in December. “Yeah, the plan is to go,” McIlroy told Telegraph Sport ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. “I have more chance of winning if I’m actually there and I recognise that with the audience the show attracts it could only be a good thing for the game. “I suppose if I don’t win it this time, I never will.”Who else is in contention? McIlroy, who also won the Players’ Championship and the Irish Open this year, could yet enter SPOTY as the third-favourite. It will be a surprise for many if Kelly does not win SPOTYGettyBritain’s Lando Norris currently leads the F1 Drivers Championship and the final race is one week before SPOTY. England’s Kelly is widely expected to become the third female footballer to win the award in the last four years. The 27-year-old scored the winning penalty as the Lionesses successfully defended the European Championship and played a starring role in Arsenal’s Champions League triumph.