Rory McIlroy is yet to receive a knighthood despite the Northern Ireland Executive nominating him for the honour, and Sir Keir Starmer has made clear the decision rests with the independent honours committee

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Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson reportely said they did not even know if the Prime Minister watched Rory McIlroy win the Masters again(Image: Getty Images)

Sir Keir Starmer will reportedly refuse to step in with the honours committees regarding a possible knighthood for Rory McIlroy. The Northern Ireland Executive at Stormont put forward his name for a knighthood last year following calls spearheaded by the Ulster Unionist Party.

McIlroy, 36, was notably absent from the New Year Honours list. The Telegraph claims that HMRC officials stepped in due to worries about his tax affairs.

The exact nature of the supposed concerns remains unclear. However, the Northern Irishman has previously invested in a “regeneration project” alongside 182 others, which HMRC examined in 2015 for tax avoidance.

It was not illegal, nor was it confirmed as the explanation for his knighthood omission last year. McIlroy, for his part, stated in 2013 that he was content with his participation. The Telegraph also suggested a Whitehall source drew parallels to Sir David Beckham’s lengthy wait for a knighthood owing to a ‘red flag’ before being granted the honour in the King’s Birthday Honours this year.

The same newspaper now quotes the Prime Minister’s official spokesman as saying: “We never comment on honours, and that is a question for the committee, not for me. But, clearly, it’s a fantastic result for Rory McIlroy, tremendous achievement and a huge, huge achievement to have done it in successive years.”

His spokesman, however, reportedly could not confirm whether the Prime Minister tuned in to watch McIlroy’s victory on Sunday evening. The spokesperson did make it clear, nonetheless, that panels of independent experts sitting on the honours committees would be responsible for bestowing any such accolade.

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Rory McIlroy winning the Masters last year was not enough to earn a knighthood(Image: Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Following his latest major triumph, the Royal Family’s official social media accounts paid their respects to the 36-year-old, posting: “Congratulations Rory McIlroy on your extraordinary back-to-back win at the Masters.”

McIlroy already holds an MBE, having received the honour in 2011 following his first major victory at the US Open. Appearing on that year’s New Year Honours list is said to have left him “humbled”. He said at the time: “Many people on the honours list have made huge personal sacrifices and contributed significantly to society during their lives. I feel very fortunate to be in their company.”