Many thought World No. 1 Brooks Koepka was a shoo-in for the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year honours. Even Rory McIlroy commented after his FedExCup victory in Atlanta thought Brooks would win the award.
“He’s had a great season. He’s won another major, he’s won three times. And I know it’s going to sting because he most likely will win the Player of the Year,” McIlroy said.
But he didn’t—it went to McIlroy. Voted on by PGA Tour members, McIlroy took the award with a stunning season that included 14 Top 10 finishes.
“Look, I couldn’t be more proud of what I’ve achieved this year,” he said after the announcement. “You know, I wanted to try and bring my best every single week that I played and I feel like I did that to the best of my ability, and I feel like the Top 10s, the consistency, the work that I’ve put in, I think that the greatest compliment you receive is that your peers feel like you’ve done something pretty special. And I think it says a lot about what I’ve put into this year and it validates some of the decisions that I’ve made starting off the year.”
But even saying all of that, McIlroy told reporters he was caught unaware in being given the award.
“Very—somewhat surprised, but very honored that my fellow players thought enough of my year to award me this honour again,” he said.
It’s his third time in his career he has won the award, previously also winning in 2012 and 2014.
At a press conference announcing the award, McIlroy was asked whether voting on the award was close. The PGA Tour wouldn’t tell him.
Did the PGA Tour make the right pick?
Why McIlroy?
Quite a year by the Irishman, McIlroy’s season included a win at the PLAYERS Championship, an easy win at the RBC Canadian Open, and a victory at the Tour Championship. In all, it led to nearly $8-million in winnings. But despite Top 10 finishes at the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship, most will remember McIlroy narrowly missing the cut as the British Open returned to Northern Ireland for the first time in 50 years. In all, a tremendous year by any standard.
Why Koepka?
He’s ranked No. 1 in the world, and it is hard to argue with Koepka as golf’s best player over the past two years. The 2018-19 season included three wins, and nearly $10-million in earnings. He also won the PGA Championship, finished second at the Masters and U.S. Open and tied for fourth at the British Open. That’s a dominate showing. He also led the FedExCup in regular season points, finishing third, two spots behind McIlroy, in the battle in the FedExCup playoffs.
What’s your take?
Is winning the FedExCup more important than taking a major championship? Where does Koepka’s incredible major championship record fit into your decision-making process? Is McIlroy’s PLAYERS Championship the equivalent to Koepka’s PGA Championship win?
Comment below with your take on who is the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year.
The best player won!
Agreed. The PGA players make this call based on week in and week out playing against each other. They see things we morals do not.
Ray
Dead wrong…Majors are what players are judged on the most…not most top 10s.
Koepka the player of the year as far as I’m concerned.
The PGA players know best. I do not think this was a popularity contest. These guys see one another week in and week out. The only fly in this call was Brooke’s slow play comment toward Bryson. It may have been a factor for a few voters.
Ray
Rory was chosen by his peers, is that correct. If that is true , why are you questioning the people that played with him. What ?are they all of a sudden chopped meat and not worthy of making an intelligent and may I say a very CORRECT choice. Let it go people. ️♂️️♂️
Great point!
My opinion is that majors’ achievements factor into current year performance but are more significant in career ratings. Consistent performance throughout the year is significant for current year measure combined with win in golf’s “Super Bowl” (FedEx Cup). However one issue I have with the FedEx Cup current format is that if it is attempting to be the Super Bowl of golf, no team ever had an advantage at kickoff in the football version. Football’s version is just find a way to get to the big game and the winner is the year champion regardless of performance through the year. I’m not saying this is the way it has to be, just something to consider.
Love both of these guys and the monster years they had. In the end Koepka’s record in the Majors give him a slight edge in my books. However , it was their peers ,who know a lot more than the armchair quarterbacks , who made the ultimate decision .
The difference between Rory winning and Koepka winning is who did the voting. The media would have chosen Koepka but the players(who understand consistency) made the right pick with Rory. It’s not always about the bling.
Who are we to say that his peers…the people who play with him week in, and week out got it wrong?!?!
Glad Mcllroy won it!!!
Think the players nailed it. I believe the media puts way too much onus on the Majors. Look at the entire season, Rory had a tremendous year. Obviously the Players of the PGA agree…………..
Well, the majors are not part of the TOUR, and I feel that the Players is bigger than the PGA Championship.
When the players vote and they vote in Rory..how can you argue with his and Brooke’s peers…i am sure that personality and support both go a long way in how the players voted…Brooke is like the old Tiger Woods…a golfing machine…great skills and results…but not too supportive of the other players or the other tournaments other than the majors…Rory is all about being friendly with the fans, and the other golfers and is a good ambassador for the game more like the new Tiger is …and it shows…other golfers are more friendly and appreciative of Tiger and his comeback….just look at the number of players who were there when Tiger won the 2019 Masters…lots of players there to congratulate him…not so when he was younger and winning everything….personality counts a great deal among one peers ….trust me
Really a toss-up as far as I am concerned. I can’t really say that Koepka was “robbed”; the Player’s is generally acknowledged as the fifth major and consistency is definitely a prized quality. At the same time, Koepka’s performance in the majors was very impressive; a stroke here and there he could easily have had 3 of them in a single year. Still, the pros are in a better position than us spectators to judge overall performance. Hats off to McIlroy…
Full disclosure, I’m a big fan of both of these players and they could have flipped a coin to see who won this award. BUT the PGA tour members voted on this – not the media – not partisan fans. The tour members above all others know what it takes to win this award . Please don’t start or feed a controversy just let it be.
It probably should have been a tie.
I think the Players and Tour Championship are ranked very highly by the tour players and maybe that’s why Rory got the nod. The PGA Championship is the least ranked of the four and maybe if Brooks major win was one of the other three the result might have been different.
Brooks is definitely a big game player and is always close in the big tournaments. And for that he deserves the attention he now gets.
I would have been happy with either guy getting the POY, they are both great ambassadors for the game.
Brooks is a bit of a knob and not near as well liked by his peers. I have heard some rumours regarding Koepka’s personality in the change room and off of the course.
The player with the best character,more reviered for his efforts and constant public awareness , Rory was the best choice , well done .
They made the correct decision !
Koepka should have won the player of the year. Because he said few players could beat him on sundays when he has the lead, I see a little revenge from PGA players.
A toss up. Great year for golf. Both are deserving of the title but only one can win and Rory is a great choice.
Most players never win a major. Clearly they feel winning other PGA events is very important to them. Winning the FEDEX has to be at least equal to one major.
I believe that Brooks deserved the Player of the Year. Fed Ex is a great bonus for the players (with pay too much money), but majors are foremost. Honestly, if Brooks was not such an egotistical individual, he would have won. But, he rubs many players the wrong way, thus the loss.
Its about time players are rewarded for consistency
and leading almost all aspects of the game from tee to green, strokes gained, scoring average and so on. They both won 3 times and all the best players were at the Canadian Open just like the US open.
Well done Rory and kudos to your fellow players for realizing the year you had.
The POY is picked by the Players.
No debate.
Is it possible to be the player is the year it isn’t always the biggest tournament solely but possibly the best representative for the game itself for the year. How the individual conducts himself on and off the course.
My Thoughts
Ronnie G
The way I see it is that Rory won three second tier tournaments, The Canadian Open, The Players & The Fedex Cup. Brooks won one major, one second tier and one regular tournament. If you assign a point system to those events then Rory wins hands down. If the Fedex Cup is every going to make major status then top players are gong to have to win it more often and the players are going to have to view it is a major. Brooks had a stellar season but finishing second or third in a major is just that 2nd & 3rd, thanks for showing up. Their piers got it right.
No doubt Rory had a great year and is more popular than Brookes, but as far as utter dominance goes, I would have to give the nod to Koepka. His confidence is downright scary. He can back it up with big wins better than anybody in the game today. Who cares if a lot of the other tour players don’t like him, they need to find a way to be more like him. As a side note, I think the new Fed Ex cup format is a joke. No more giving stroke advantages to the top ranked players before the final tournament.
Koepkan is too much of a whiner and does not represent the game
I think they are at least equally deserving of the honour. Perhaps the weight given to the so-called major championships is a bit excessive. By winning both the Players and the FedEx Cup McIlroy prevailed against probably the two strongest fields in the game, and he had the better record in regular tour events.
The award went to the guy the other players like better. Perhaps if “Chip” Koepka were to become a bit more personable and much less abrasive he would have a better chance at winning what came down to a popularity contest.
Player of three year should represent the total body of work for the entire season.Rory was much more consistent with all those top tens. Brooks had a very good season as well.
Close vote I’m sure.