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Only golfer making the list this year is Rory. The list is dominated by Olympians and Paralympians as expected. In fact, Rory is the only entry from the dozen not to have competed at London 2012. But do any of the others really deserve the annual title more than he does. Many have had great careers, but 2012 has just added the cherry on top. Murray has done something pretty special, but really is a couple of gears behind Rory...
Thoughts?...

Tbh, I think they'd need to win the Open to stand any chance. A US Open or USPGA win just won't resonate with the public. Masters/Open double perhaps.

McIlroy is still a kid, if he gets to 5-6 majors quickish he will begin to transcend the game somewhat by getting to the "great" category, then he will win it at some point.
Not many truly great British sportsmen or women fail to win SPOTY, its just a question of time if he carriers on the way he is going, especially as he is a pleasant enough, smiley kid and exciting to watch.
In 4 years he could do an Open and Olympic gold double.

super_realist wrote:Come on Ped, I can't even remember the last Brit who won two majors in a year. Faldo in 1990?

Only person I see remotely capable of doing it is McIlroy, but he's just as likely to stink the place out.

As for the other candidates, who exactly? As good as Poulter, Donald, Rose, Westwood etc are, can you really see them bagging two when they don't even have one between them?

McIlroy more than remotely! I think the end of 2012 showed what he's capable of. super, I guess you're just in a Christmas WUM mode?

Westwood could win the Open, but I agree he would struggle to win one more unless he finds back to his 2011 form.
Rose could win any.
Donald could win any of the American majors, so could McDowell.
And Poulter says he can win them all, WGC's and Playoffs inclusive.

Yes, I agree all above have to be at the top of their game, but McIlroy more likely than any other to bag multiple majors, IMO, Brit or not Brit.

I agree, McIlroy most likely, but then again he's only got two to his name so it seems unlikely there is a single player on the planet likely to win two in 2013.

So therefore no golfer winning SPOTY anytime soon.

i think you are all getting carried away with yourselves... its the best year Britain have had in god knows how long.
Darren Clarke has come second twice in the last few years.
Tony Mccoy, Zara Philips, Joe Calzaghe, Ryan Giggs..... if Mcilroy performed like he did last season in any of these years i think he would have won it

The opposition for Coco is pretty weak right now so be a suprise if he didn't dominate the rankings and win a major next year, if he does so by going head to head with the only golfer the general public really knows, Woods, then all the better for Cocos profile as the new main man. Super will say Woods is shot already but to the public he is stil the name to beat.
If Rory manages that next year he wil be top 3 for sure but if Murray wins Wimbledon (which he may well go into as favourite for) he is a nailed on shoo in.

Hendo, The Zara Philips one certainly stunk to high heaven, as did the Ryan Giggs one, which should have been a career achievement award.
I'm sure there must have been some sort of organised underground equestrian campaign to get Horse Face Philips the win. Not a chance in hell the normal public would have voted for a total non event like that. It's a bit like Prince Edward getting it for his Royal Tennis achievements.

Digs, I can only hope that Nine Chins is shot, although sadly I don't think he is just yet although for every year that passes without a major (now standing at 4 ) it's going to get harder for him to get over that particular mental hurdle the longer he goes without one and then there's also his laughably fragile knee and chronic driving to get in the way.
I sincerely hope that Tatty Muncher Mcilroy blows the sullen, , dreary, wooder, boring, grumpy, self loving nine chinned tw@t out of the water in 2013.

Regarding the public profile of golf (especially in connection with the BBC and therefore SPOTY) - it isn't going to help that, so I understand, the only events to be screened on terrestrial TV next year will be The Open and Women's British Open.

Not sure if TW does actually have 9 chins as often stated here, but if so, perhaps he might want to take up boxing? Having a good chin is apparently a helpful characteristic; presumably he has at least one of them amongst the nine.

Is there no, even edited or delayed highlights of The Masters?, and what of The BMW @ Wentworth or Scottish Open? Are none of those going to be televised on BBC?

I don't know, s_r - questions I also have.

I remember Alliss saying farewell to the tournament from the BBC at the end of the 2012 Wentworth event (which was the first I'd heard of it disappearing from the Beeb). I wasn't aware about the Masters or the Scottish being dropped as well, but it's telling that the BBC have only had the weekend coverage for those of late and I read a passing comment by a specialist journalist somewhere quite recently (probably in Golf World) stating that they'd only be showing the 2 Opens in 2013. Can't even remember the context, but I interpreted as a statement of fact and not say as a sarcastic prediction.

Well, if that's the case Skydriver, and it sounds like it is, then golf isn't likely to improve in the public consciousness much. Perhaps ratings dictated them being dropped though.
Perhaps if some of the guys step up a bit, maybe Westwood, Donald or Poulter grabbing a major alongside the burgeoning talent of McIlroy the BBC will put a bit more money in and get the viewers back.
Sadly they are more interested in the moronic sport of Football and their highlights programme than spreading money more evenly but if they aren't getting the viewers then fair enough, plenty golfers don't like watching, so we can't expect anybody else to.

It's a shame on Sky that you have to subscribe to all the rubbish sport just to get golf.