Rory McIlroy had a great season, but he’s not the PGA TOUR Player of the Year

Rory McIlroy had an outstanding season…but that still doesn’t make him the PGA TOUR Player of the Year.

Rory McIlroy capped off the 2018-19 PGA Tour Season with a rousing win at East Lake in the Tour Championship. While he does not take home a Gold Jacket like Happy Gilmore, McIlroy’s final round 66 secured him the FedEx Cup title and a cool $15 million. But I’m still not convinced that he deserved to be the PGA TOUR Player of the Year

I wrote back in March that the Northern Irishman was being disrespected, and he just finished one of his best seasons; 3 wins (including The Players), 14 top-tens in 19 starts, his second FedEx Cup championship and one of the greatest Strokes Gained Total seasons of all time.

Strokes gained total has been kept since 2004.

.@McIlroyRory averaged 2.55 SG total per round this season, the best season average by anyone not named Tiger Woods.

Best strokes gained total seasons (since 2004)
2006 Woods 3.44
2009 Woods 3.19
2007 Woods 3.09
2019 Rory 2.55
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) August 25, 2019

I have the ultimate respect for Rory McIlroy, both in his play and the manner in which he conducts himself. Who could forget his incredible 65 and poignant remarks after the British Open? However, following his Tour Championship win, there has been a growing movement to name him PGA Tour Player of the Year. Brandel Chamblee discussed it last night on the Golf Channel and continued the debate on Twitter.

I don’t think so. Rory won the Vardon Trophy( for the 3rd time) and won the only other way they keep track of who played the best all year, the FedExCup, where he had the lowest score regardless of the handicapping. Won The Players, Canada by 7, Tour Ch.and had the most top 10s. https://t.co/ukFh4chpS7
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) August 26, 2019

Other chimed in to support Rory for POTY:

Dismissing Rory as POY because he didn’t win a major is a little harsh. He won Players, Canadian Open and Tour Championship as well as the Vardon Trophy. That’s not nothing. There’s legit reason for debate between his consistency and Brooks.
— 1_15_41 🇺🇦 (@ScottMichaux) August 26, 2019

It’s the Player of The Year award, not the ‘player at the majors’. Have to give it to Rory on sheer consistency
— Evin Priest (@EvinPriest) August 26, 2019

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While McIlroy’s consistency and three wins cannot be discounted, this take is asinine. Golf has always been about majors; regular PGA Tour wins are not unimportant but pale in comparison to victories in the four most prestigious championships in golf. Rory missed the cut at the British Open and did not finish closer than 8 shots behind the eventual champion at the other three majors.

So how can we name Rory McIlroy the PGA Tour Player of the Year instead of Brooks Koepka?

Golf’s biggest badass and now premier nudist finished inside the top four in every single major. Top four! Do we know how hard that is? For context, it has only been done three times in history by Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. That is incredible company and speaks volumes about Koepka’s major dominance.

Furthermore, Brooks Koepka finished a cumulative -36 in the 2019 majors; the next closest were Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffle at -14.

He beat his closest competition by 22 shots! And, while he has made a reputation for only caring about majors, Koepka did win two other events in 2018-19, including a World Golf Championship.

Rory McIlroy is an incredible ambassador for our great sport and had a fantastic season. The legacy of golf’s greatest players is tied to their major championship pedigree, though, and in that regard no one played better this season than Brooks Koepka. Brooks is the clear PGA Tour Player of the Year.