Rory McIlroy defeated Brooks Koepka with five-strokes on Sunday at the TOUR Championship. A day later, Koepka returned the favour.
The PGA of America announced Koepka as it’s Player of the Year Monday afternoon, edging McIlroy for the honours.
The PGA uses a year-long points formula to determine its winner, with tournament victories, official money standings, and scoring averages featured in its equation. Koepka’s wins at the PGA Championship, WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational and C.J. Cup bestowed 50 points, 10 more than McIlroy accumulated for his Players Championship, Canadian Open and FedEx Cup triumphs.
That category proved to be the difference-maker, with Koepka finishing with 84 points to McIlroy’s 78.
Interestingly, Koepka also becomes only the second player to defend his Tiger Woods in 2007.
PGA TOUR is still expected to announce its Player of the Year award winner, which will be voted by the players by October end and it will be interesting to see if McIlroy picks that one up.