The awards are piling up for Rory McIlroy, the latest of which is his selection – quelle surprise! – as the Men’s Professional of the Year in the annual Irish Golf Writers’ Association (IGWA) awards where his lifelong coach Michael Bannon has also been recognised for Distinguished Services to Golf.
In a year when he completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters at Augusta National, the 36-year-old Co Down man also won the Pebble Beach pro-am and The Players on the PGA Tour and the Amgen Irish Open on the DP World Tour as well as playing a leading role in Europe’s away win over the United States in the Ryder Cup at Bethpage in New York.
McIlroy is a seven-time winner of the player of the year award from the IGWA, an awards scheme – sponsored by Anantara The Marker Dublin – which started in 1976.
Lauren Walsh, who finished 10th on the Ladies European Tour and who last week secured a full card for the LPGA Tour for 2026, was voted the Women’s Professional of the Year for 2025: the 25-year-old Kildare woman had seven top-10s on the LET this season, including a runners-up finish in the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open.
Co Louth’s Stuart Grehan marked his return from a spell as a professional with a dominant season in the amateur ranks – which included victories in the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship and the AIG Irish Men’s Close Championship as well was earning Walker Cup representation – which earned him the Men’s Amateur Player of the Year accolade, while Tramore’s Anna Dawson, winner of the AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship, won the Women’s Amateur of the Year in the voting.
Bannon has been honoured with the Distinguished Services to Golf in recognition of a career which has combined his role as a member of the PGA since 1981 – winning 20 Irish PGA region events – club professional roles at Ardglass, Holywood and Bangor.
In his role as coach to McIlroy, with whom he has worked since the Grand Slam winner was eight years of age, Bannon has helped McIlroy win 45 times as a professional, including five Majors: the US Open (2011), the PGA Championship (2012 & 2014), The Open Championship (2014) and the Masters Tournament (2025).
Pádraig and Paddy Harrington team up again for PNC Championship
Paddy Harrington putts on the sixth green as Pádraig Harrington of Ireland looks on. Photograph: Mike Ehrmann/Getty
Pádraig Harrington – who won the US Seniors Open and the Seniors Open this season – will close out his year’s work in a less stressful environment at this week’s PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida where he will partner his son Paddy in the two-player team event which features 20 pairings.
The invitational tournament is confined to Major champions and a family member, with the Harringtons among those looking to end the dominance of Bernhard Langer and his son Jason who have won for the past two years.
The only player making his debut this year is 41-year-old Gary Woodland, who returned to professional golf early last year after undergoing successful surgery for a brain tumour in September 2023. He will be partnering with his father, Dan.
This year’s field includes three women: Nelly Korda is playing with her dad Petr, while Annika Sorenstam will play with her son, Will McGee. Also in the field is Steve Stricker’s talented daughter Izzi, a student at University of Wisconsin and current Wisconsin Women’s Amateur and Wisconsin Women’s Match Play champion.
Word of Mouth
Andrew Novak and Lauren Coughlin of the United States react to a putt. Photograph: Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty
“Lauren’s probably the single most reliable golfer I’ve ever played with” – Adam Novak tipping the cap to his team-mate Lauren Coughlin after the pair won the Grant Thornton Invitational. The American duo finished on 28-under-par 188, three shots clear of three teams who finished tied-second in the annual tournament featuring players from the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour.
By the Numbers: 14
The par 3, 7th hole at Portmarnock Golf Club. Photograph: David Cannon/Getty
Portmarnock Golf Club’s awarding of honorary membership to Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy brings the number of such members to 14, with the duo joining Pádraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Eddie Butler, Ita Butler, Gavin Caldwell, Bobby Cuddy, Tom Cuddihy, Claire Dowling, Noel Fox, Mary McKenna, Michael Morris and Peter Townsend.
Social Swing
It’s a great joy that I am able to play with my grandchildren. It is an even greater joy to watch them develop a passion for the great game. Congratulations to my grandson on committing to play his university golf at Palm Beach Atlantic University! His hard work is paying off by the job is not finished – Gary Player clearly happy the golfing genes have been passed on to grandson Alexander Hall.
Okay guys see up in @sonyopenhawaii – Si Woo Kim keeps it short and sweet in putting to bed rumours of his defection to LIV, declaring he’ll be at the Sony Open on the PGA Tour in January.
CLUTCH! – Jayden Schaper makes this eagle to win the 2025 Alfred Dunhill Championship on the first playoff hole – The Sunshine Tour’s social media post on the young South African’s breakthrough win (the tournament was co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour).
Know the Rules
Q: In stroke play, unaware that one side of a double green has been declared a wrong green by the Committee, a player takes two putts from the wrong green before the ball comes to rest on the putting green. What is the ruling?
A: The player gets four penalty strokes. When a player’s ball comes to rest in an area where play is not allowed, the player must take relief under the appropriate Rule. In stroke play, the player gets two penalty strokes for each stroke made from that area (this situation is covered by Clarification 14.7b/1).
In the Bag
Lauren Coughlin: Grant Thornton Invitational (with Adam Novak)
Driver: Ping G440 K (9 degrees)
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Hybrids: Ping G440 (20 degrees), Ping G425 (22 and 26 degrees)
Irons: Ping i240 (6-PW)
Wedges: Ping Blueprint S (48.5 degrees), Ping S159 (54 and 58 degrees)
Putter: Ping PLD Milled Oslo 4
