tied-second at the BMW PGA Championship, losing to Shane Lowry by one shot. In October, McIlroy successfully defended the CJ Cup at Congaree Golf Club in South Carolina. This victory also saw him move to number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, overtaking Scottie Scheffler. In November, McIlroy entered the DP World Tour Championship on the European Tour sitting in first place on the DP World Tour Rankings. With a fourth place finish, it was good enough for McIlroy to maintain his position at the top of the rankings. It was also his fourth Harry Vardon Trophy win. 2023 McIlroy started off the year by winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour. He birdied the final two holes to beat Patrick Reed by one shot. Awards In 2012, besides leading the PGA Tour money list, McIlroy won the PGA Player of the Year, PGA Tour Player of the Year, Vardon Trophy, and Byron Nelson Award. In addition to winning the Race to Dubai, he was voted the European Tour Golfer of the Year. He also won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in the year (28 of 52 weeks). Also in 2012, he won a Laureus World Sports Award in the category Breakthrough of the Year. In 2014, McIlroy again swept the PGA Tour awards: Arnold Palmer Award (leading money winner), PGA Player of the Year, PGA Tour Player of the Year, Vardon Trophy, and Byron Nelson Award. He also won the Race to Dubai and was voted the European Tour Golfer of the Year. He again won the Mark H. McCormack Award for leading the Official World Golf Ranking for the most weeks in the year (22 of 52 weeks). He was awarded the RTÉ Sports Person of the Year for the second time, previously winning in 2011, and the BBC Northern Ireland Sports Personality of the Year for the third time after victories in 2011 and 2012. He also came 2nd in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, behind Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton. In 2015 McIlroy was shortlisted for the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year. In 2015, McIlroy won European Tour Golfer of the Year for the third time (2012, 2014). In 2019, McIlroy won the PGA Tour Player of the Year award for the third time (2012, 2014).