LONDON (REUTERS) - Rory McIlroy, who won two majors and helped Europe retain the Ryder Cup in a stunning 2014, was named the British Sports Journalists Association's Sportsman of the Year on Thursday.

The Irishman, who won the British Open and PGA Championship, finished ahead of Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and Commonwealth and European long jump gold medal winner Greg Rutherford in a ballot of the British association's members.

Jo Pavey, the European 10,000 metres champion at the age of 40, was named Sportswoman of the Year, while England's women rugby World Cup winners were team of the year, beating McIlroy and his Ryder Cup-winning European team mates to the award.