RORY McIlroy has made the 10-strong shortlist for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, and is tipped to edge out newly crowned Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
The 25-year-old Co Down native has enjoyed a successful run of form this year; winning the 2014 Open and US PGA champion as well as helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup.
McIlroy would become the first golfer to win the prestigious BBC award since Nick Faldo in 1989.
"To win my second major this year and a fourth by the age of 25, it's just incredible," he said of his back-to-back majors victory.
He is likely to face strong competition from Hamilton, who claimed his second world title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and has previously finished second in the voting in both 2007 and 2008.
The winner of the award will be announced on December 14 at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, following a public vote.
Gareth Bale is the only footballer to feature in the shortlist following his remarkable debut season Real Madrid, while boxer Carl Froch is also named after his rematch victory over George Groves at Wembley.
Olympic and World Cup skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold and Great Britain's first Winter Paralympic champions Kelly Gallagher and guide Charlotte Evans, who won the women's visually-impaired Super G skiing event earlier this year in Sochi, also make the cut.
Jo Pavey, whose 10,000m gold in Zurich made her the oldest female European champion in history and Charlotte Dujardin, who picked up two dressage world titles this year are also nominated.
Max Whitlock, who won world, European and Commonwealth medals in 2014, and swimmer Adam Peaty, who won four European titles and two Commonwealth Games gold medals complete the list.
The shortlist was decided by a panel of former nominees, newspaper sports editors and television sport executives.
In addition to the main prize, there will also be six other awards on the night:
- Team of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
- Young Sports Personality of the Year
- Helen Rollason Award
- Unsung Hero
Scotsman Andy Murray won the award last year, after he became the first Briton in 77 years to win the Wimbledon men's singles title with victory over Novak Djokovic.
