PGA Player of the Year award: Consistency is what makes a player stand out
There has been much debate over what matters more when it comes to wining the PGA Tour Player of the Year award.
Some observers stress that players who play with consistency throughout their season — regardless of losing or winning major events — should be entitled to the award. On the other hand, winning major championships is considered the only yardstick by some.
For instance, the current number one Luke Donald, who did not win a major championship in the current season, managed to walk away with the PGA Tour Player of the Year award for the year 2011.
Some observers argue that since major events have their significance in the sport and they highlight the strength of a player, they should be taken into consideration when deciding on the Player of the Year.
Rory McIlory, who was regarded as a strong contender to receive the award because he won the US Open this season, was not chosen.
Moreover, another factor that made the young star a strong candidate for the award was his improved ranking.
Despite all the talk of who should have been given the award, Luke Donald’s profile highlights what should be taken into consideration when deciding on the Player of the Year.
First off, the Englishman's performance was remarkable throughout the season. He maintained the upper hand over his rivals in most of the events he participated in.
He racked up two victories in the season, which highlights his resilience and consistency. Moreover, he finished 2nd in two events while in the other two events, he finished 3rd.
In addition to his excellent performance on the PGA Tour, he also grabbed attention in European Tour events.
One of his most prominent performances in the 2011 season was racking up the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
Donald came off well on the final day of the event, as he outplayed Martin Kaymer, winning the championship.
He grabbed attention, yet again, when he won the Disney Classic, topping the PGA Tour money list. Finally, winning the European Tour money list proved icing on his cake.
Donald kept surging ahead and remained consistent, winning the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, in October, to become eligible for the Order of Merits in both the European Tour and the PGA Tour.
On the other hand, Rory McIlroy faltered a little following his victory in the US Open in June. He could not win any tournaments but his latest victory that came in the Hong Kong Open proved productive for him.
The Race to Dubai was the event that played its role in making Luke Donald the Player of the year. The Race to Dubai, culminating in the Dubai World Championship, saw the 34-year-old Englishman maintain the top spot in the world golf rankings.
Donald could not win the Championship, which means he had to lose the event’s prize money. However, winning the Race to Dubai earned him a whopping $8 million.
Sharing his thoughts about his performance, Donald said it was consistency that helped him remain atop the leaderboard.
"It's something that I didn't think was possible," the Englishman said. "I played extremely solid, consistent golf all year winning four times and playing right at the right moments. I think it is testament to my hard work and it's nice to see it paying
off".
McIlroy, despite winning a major championship, could not cap off the season with consistency. He finished 3rd in the Dubai World Championship. Even worse, he had to pull out of the Thai Golf Championship due to dengue fever.
By winning the PGA Player of the Year award, Donald has proved his critics wrong, highlighting that a viable yardstick for deciding on a player for the award should be consistency, not wins in major events.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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