‘Such a Shame’: Georgia Hall Joins Others in Slamming the BBC for Ignoring Golf for Decades

For decades, the BBC has been ignoring professional golfers when it comes to selecting a winner for their Sports Personality of the Year Awards. And this year, the international media didn’t even consider nominating an entity from golf for the SPOTY Awards, despite Matt Fitzpatrick winning a major in 2022. The situation even made the female golfer Georgia Hall raise her voice against the publication. 

The English golfer, Fitzpatrick, won his first major at the US Open held at The Country Club in Brookline. Winning a major is considered one of the greatest achievements a golfer can get. Nonetheless, the BBC didn’t even nominate him for the SPOTY Award for 2022. 

BBC compelled the 1-time major champion, Georgia Hall, to lash out at them

According to golfchannel.com, Sir Nick Faldo‘s SPOTY Award in 1989 was the last time any golfer won the same. Players like Rory McIlroy (2014) and Justin Rose (2013) have been nominated ever since. However, nobody has gotten a chance to win once. 

And this time, the BBC ignored golfers altogether from their nominee list. This led the 26-year-old female golfer to bluntly criticize the media outlet using her social media profile. “Such a shame,” Georgia Hall tweeted. “Golf doesn’t get the recognition it deserved yet again on #SPOTY @BBCSport @MattFitz94 just speechless 😶,” her tweet further read. 

Many professional golfers, other than Hall, also took their social media profiles to call out the media outlet for ignoring the golfers over the years. This included the 1-time SPOTY-nominee, Justin Rose, and the 9-time champion, Tommy Fleetwood.

Read more: ‘Great for the Game of Golf’: LPGA Star Lexi Thompson Explains the Importance of Holding Mixed Gender Events on the PGA Tour

Moreover, the LIV Golf defector, Ian Poulter, expressed his fury through a social media post. Notably, he had the same experience as Fitzpatrick in 2012, when he wasn’t shortlisted despite helping Team Europe win the Ryder Cup with his four wins. 

How did Matt Fitzpatrick respond to BBC for ignoring him for the SPOTY?

Many golfers got furious over BBC for ignoring golf over the years for the SPOTY Awards and not nominating the 2022 US Open champion this year. However, Matt Fitzpatrick had a different reaction to it.

Like the way the BBC ignored him, Fitzpatrick ignored the nomination list and posted the unforgettable moments he had in 2022 on Twitter. The compilation video shows all the things he achieved this year. 

BBC has been ignoring golf for a long time. Why do you think it happens with a sport that has hundreds of years of legacy? Let us know in the comments down below.

Watch This Story: Veteran LPGA Golfer Explains Why the Women’s Game Is Struggling