Rory McIlroy: "I Never Dreamed Of Being Famous"

The four-time major winner was asked about being named the UK's most famous sportsperson

Rory McIlroy: "I Never Dreamed Of Being Famous"
(Image credit: Richard Martin-Roberts)

The four-time major winner responded to being named the UK's most famous sportsperson in ESPN's Fame 100 list

Rory McIlroy: "I Never Dreamed Of Being Famous"

Rory McIlroy has been named as the UK's most famous sportsperson in a poll by ESPN.

The four-time major winner placed 17th in ESPN's Fame 100 (opens in new tab), which is measured on athletes' social media following, their 'Google Trend' score and endorsements.

Cristiano Ronaldo topped the list whilst McIlroy was top from the UK, beating Gareth Bale and Wayne Rooney.

McIlroy was top of another UK list recently - as the Sunday Times' richest sportsperson aged 30 or under.

The 28-year-old's net worth rose by £28m last year to reach £110m.

On the result of ESPN's Fame 100 poll, McIlroy said today in his pre-BMW PGA Championship press conference that fame is "probably something I've grown to accept."

Whilst he accepts fame, he admitted that he never dreamed of actually being famous, and that it is simply a by-product in his quest to become the world's greatest golfer.

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"I dreamed of being a great golfer. I never dreamed of the other stuff," he said.

"I feel very privileged that I'm in the position that I'm in and I can basically pursue my dream of being the best golfer in the world, and obviously that starts to cross over into different things.

"But I just try to live my life the way I normally would, and yeah, but I don't -- I never dreamed of being famous. I never wanted to be famous. I wanted to be known for my golf and that was it."

Related: See inside Wentworth's newly refurbished clubhouse after £13m investment

The 2014 BMW PGA Champion gets his tournament underway at 12.30pm in the opening round at Wentworth alongside defending champion Alex Noren and Lee Westwood.

For all the first round tee times click here (opens in new tab).

McIlroy's last victory came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in March.

He also finished T5th at The Masters, having played in the final group with Patrick Reed.

Elliott Heath
Senior Staff Writer

Elliott Heath is our Senior Staff Writer and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news, features, courses and travel sections as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Elliott has interviewed some huge names in the golf world including Sergio Garcia, Thomas Bjorn, Bernd Wiesberger and Scotty Cameron as well as a number of professionals on the DP World and PGA Tours. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as four Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays at West Byfleet Golf Club in Surrey, where his handicap index floats anywhere between 2-6. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: TaylorMade SIM2 Max

Hybrid: TaylorMade SIM Max

Irons: Mizuno MP5 4-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x