Rahm Sweeps PGA of America POY, Vardon Trophy Awards

Prepare for the usual PGA Tour efforts to campaign for FedExCup winner Patrick Cantlay as player of the year, and while he had a fine year, one of his wins in 2021 was thanks to Jon Rahm’s COVID-positive WD from the Memorial. Plus, there is the whole secret vote of agents…I mean, players, matter.

The PGA of America uses a points system and while Rahm only had one victory, he might have had the Memorial on top of his incredible consistency. His 2021 majors: T5-T8-1-T3.

For Immediate Release:

Jon Rahm Sweeps PGA of America Player of the Year and Vardon Trophy Awards

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (Sept. 7, 2021) – Jon Rahm of Spain captured his first PGA of America Player of the Year Award, presented by the PGA of America for excellence by a PGA TOUR professional. Rahm capped the sweep of season-ending PGA of America awards by also claiming the Vardon Trophy, presented annually since 1937 to the touring professional with the lowest adjusted scoring average.

In a unique season that featured six major championships, Rahm tallied a career-best 75 overall Player of the Year points, five more than Bryson DeChambeau. A year ago, Rahm finished second to 2020 PGA of America Player of the Year Justin Thomas by 10 points.  

Rahm won just once in 2020-21, but made it count, winning the U.S. Open (and its 30 victory points) in June at Torrey Pines in San Diego. He also split 10 victory points with Kevin Na at the just-completed Tour Championship, as they tied for the lowest score (266) under PGA of America rules that reward the low scorer to determine the PGA Player of the Year.

DeChambeau finished with 70 points for his highest-ever PGA Player of the Year performance, while Patrick Cantlay (60) was third and Collin Morikawa (54) fourth. 

Rahm, 26, garnered 20 points apiece for winning the season’s money title, based upon events prior to the 30-player FedEx Cup finale, and the adjusted scoring average.

In the Vardon Trophy race, Rahm finished with a 69.300 adjusted scoring average based upon 86 complete rounds. Dustin Johnson was runner-up at 69.619, followed by Louis Oosthuizen (690.714), DeChambeau (69.728) and Cantlay (69.736).

The Vardon Trophy, named by the PGA of America in honor of legendary British golfer Harry Vardon, requires a minimum of 60 rounds, with no incomplete rounds, in events co-sponsored or designated by the PGA Tour. The adjusted score was computed from the average score of the field at each event.

Since 1948, the PGA of America has honored the game’s best players with the PGA Player of the Year Award. It is presented to the top TOUR professional based on a point system for tournament wins, official money standings and scoring averages. Points for the 2020-21 season began with the A Military Tribute at the Safeway Open on Sept. 10, 2020, and concluded Sunday, Sept. 5, at the TOUR Championship.

The PGA TOUR also recognizes its annual Player of the Year, with the winner announced in September, determined by a vote of the membership.