McIlroy and Big Darren in the running for major award

Irish golfers Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy have both been shortlisted for the British Sports Personality of the Year award.

In what is sign of the changing of the tide of superiority from the US to Europe in the golfing world, swing merchants make up nearly a third of the ten nominees for the award with Luke Donald also included alongside the likes of Andy Murray, Amir Khan and Mo Farah.

Young whippersnapper McIlroy won the US Open in fine style back in May having earlier capitulated at the Masters on the final day after three brilliant rounds at Augusta up to that point. Since then he has catapulted to number two in the World rankings behind the solid but hardly spectacular Luke Donald, who has yet to win a major title.

That was also true of big Darren Clarke up until the British Open in July, when he triumphed at Royal St. George’s to claim his first major in 20 years of trying. That victory was celebrated more heartily than any victory in any sport over the course of the year and the larger than life Clarke has struggled to build on the success since.

The winner will be selected by public vote on the 22nd of December and we can only hope that McIlroy refrains from becoming involved in a repeat of an embarrassing if good natured cameo performance in a video to support good buddy Graeme McDowell’s candidacy last year.

Full list of 2011 Sports Personality of the Year nominees: Mark Cavendish (cycling), Darren Clarke (golf), Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Mo Farah (athletics), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Rory McIlroy (golf), Andy Murray (tennis), Andrew Strauss (cricket).