Although many of the world’s best there are still competing in tournaments in Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and South Africa, the PGA and LPGA have announced their Player of the Year awards.
As we mentioned in our previous post, Rory McIlroy has been named Golf Magazine’s Player of the Year, awarded the Vardon Trophy and named the PGA’s Player of the Year. The Vardon Trophy is given to the player with the lowest adjusted scoring average, based on a minimum of 60 rounds, with no incomplete rounds, and in events co-sponsored or designated by the PGA Tour. McIlroy’s scoring average this year was 68.87, beating his closest competitor, Tiger Woods, who averaged 68.90. Unfortunately though, even if Woods had a lower scoring average, he would have been ineligible for the Vardon Trophy as he withdrew from the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship back in March. Woods has won 10 PGA Player of the Year awards and eight Vardon Trophies since 1997.
The Player of the Year award is a little different, as it is just based on a points system. Although he had a disappointing showing this week at the UBS Hong Kong Open (not making the cut!), McIlroy has won four times this season, including the 2012 PGA Championship at The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. He also clinched the Race to Dubai last week at the Barclays Singapore Open and won captured money titles on both the PGA and European tour. McIlroy ended the season with 100 points versus his closest competitor (can you guess who?), Tiger Woods, at 66 points. This is the first time McIlroy has won either award and we’re sure it won’t be the last!
The LPGA has also named their Rolex Player of the Year Award – Stacy Lewis! Like McIlroy, Lewis has also won four times on Tour this season and looking to add a fifth victory in 2012 at the CME Group Titleholders tournament at the TwinEagles Club in Florida. She’s also had 16 top-10 finishes! Lewis has actually became the first American to win this honor since Beth Daniel in 1994. Lewis is definitely an inspiration to all aspiring golfers – at the age of 11, she was diagnosed with scoliosis that required her to wear a back brace for 7½ years, before undergoing a major surgery. This limited her to being a redshirt during her first year at Arkansas, spending time recovering from this surgery. As she recovered and earned her spot on the team, she won the NCAA title as a junior, tied for third at the Kraft Nabisco Championship on an amateur invication as a senior and ended her amateur career by going undefeated at the Curtis Cup. And now, after this breakthrough year of hers, she will be honored tonight during the LPGA Titleholders – and like McIlroy, we hope to see Lewis continue to succeed on and off the course!
