World Number One Luke Donald of England has captured two prestigious awards following a superb season in the United States by capturing both the 2011 PGA of America Player of the Year Award and the Vardon Trophy for the best stroke average.
Donald becomes only the second Englishman to win the PGA of America Player of the Year award, following in the footsteps of Nick Faldo in 1990 and also the second English professional to capture the Vardon Trophy since the inaugural winner, ‘Lighthorse’ Harry Cooper, in 1937.
The PGA Player of the Year, first presented in 1948, and the Vardon Trophy, are The PGA of America’s premier season-ending awards for excellence by a US PGA Tour professional.
Donald earned 60 total points, based upon 20 points for winning the WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship and last weekend’s victory in the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, along with winning the season’s money title and dominating the season scoring average (68.86). Webb Simpson, who made a late-season surge with a pair of victories, finished runner-up in both the PGA Player of the Year and Vardon Trophy races with 56 points. Nick Watney was third with 48 points, followed by Steve Stricker with 42 and PGA Champion Keegan Bradley with 40.
In dominating the Vardon Trophy race, Donald registered 73 complete rounds to garner the award that is computed based upon adjusted season scoring average. Runner-up Simpson averaged 69.25 based upon 98 rounds, and Stricker was third with 69.36 after 70 rounds.
The PGA of America has honoured the game’s best players with The PGA Player of the Year Award since 1948. The award is presented to the top touring professional based on a point system for tournament wins, official money standings, and scoring averages. Points are tabulated from January 1, through the Children’s Miracle Network Classic, which concluded October 23.
The US PGA Tour also recognises its annual Player of the Year, with the winner determined by a vote of the membership. The voting period commences October 23 after the conclusion of the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. The Player of the Year, who receives the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, will be announced by the Tour in December. Additionally, the Tour recognises a Rookie of the Year and in select years, a Comeback Player of the Year, with both of those awards also being determined by a vote among Tour members. Other season-ending honours to be announced by the US PGA Tour include the Arnold Palmer Award for the leading money-winner and the Byron Nelson Award, presented to the player with the lowest adjusted scoring average (minimum of 50 official rounds).
