Rory McIlroy named USPGA’s Player of the Year

Rory McIlroy has been named the PGA of America’s Player of the Year and winner of its Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average of the season.

Northern Ireland’s world number one won four tournaments in the States during a superb 2012 in which he matched Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald’s achievement last year of topping the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tiger Woods was runner-up for PGA America Player of the Year, but was ineligible for the Vardon Trophy because of his injury withdrawal during the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami in March.

But for that he would have finished a close-up second to McIlroy, who averaged 68.87 to Tiger’s 68.9. Instead second place went to Jim Furyk on 69.3.

The PGA Tour has its own, separate Player of the Year award, with members having until November 30 to vote.

Regarded as the most prestigious award, McIlroy is expected to win that too. The 2010 US Open winner is nominated alongside Masters champion Bubba Watson, Tiger Woods, Brandt Snedeker and Jason Dufner.

Charlie Beljan, winner of the weekend’s Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic despite a health scare, has been nominated for the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

Jonas Blixt, Bud Cauley, John Huh and Ted Potter are the other players on the shortlist with Cauley the only one of the five not to record a victory in 2012.

However, Cauley managed a total of six top-ten finishes, which was higher than any other rookie on the PGA Tour.