Jordan Spieth wins PGA of America's Player of Year Award, Vardon Trophy

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters and U.S. Open Championship while making a gallant run at completing golf’s Grand Slam, became the second-youngest golfer to capture the PGA of America Player of the Year Award and Vardon Trophy. The season-ending awards are presented by the PGA of America for excellence by a PGA TOUR professional.

Spieth, 22, followed Tiger Woods as the second-youngest to capture both awards in the same year. Woods was 21 in 1997 when he won the first of his 11 PGA Player of the Year Awards and nine Vardon Trophies.

In addition to his two major championships, Spieth capped his season by winning the TOUR Championship by Coca Cola, to go with victories in the Valspar Championship and the John Deere Classic. On his way to earning the Vardon Trophy, Spieth posted an adjusted scoring average of 68.911 through 91 complete rounds. He edged PGA Champion Jason Day (69.161), who completed 75 rounds by 0.25 strokes.

Overall, Spieth collected 180 Player of the Year points, based upon 90 points for his five victories; 50 bonus points for earning two major championships; 20 points for leading the money list and 20 points for winning the Vardon Trophy. Day was runner-up in the Player of the Year standings with 106 total points; followed by Bubba Watson with 52; Open Champion Zach Johnson with 46; and Rickie Fowler with 44.

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 2014-15 season began with the Frys.com Open on Oct. 12, and concluded with the TOUR Championship, which ended Sunday.

Since 1937, the Vardon Trophy, named by the PGA of America in honor of legendary British golfer Harry Vardon, is awarded annually to the touring professional with the lowest adjusted scoring average. It is based on a minimum of 60 rounds, with no incomplete rounds, in events co-sponsored or designated by the PGA TOUR. The adjusted score is computed from the average score of the field at each event.

The PGA TOUR also recognizes its annual Player of the Year, with the winner announced Oct. 2, determined by a vote of the membership.

FINAL 2015 PGA Player of the Year Standings
(Ending 9/27/15)

1. Jordan Spieth -- 180 total points

Victory points: 90
Money points: 20
Scoring points: 20
Bonus points: 50

Wins: Valspar Championship, The Masters, U.S. Open, John Deere Classic, TOUR Championship by Coca Cola

2. Jason Day -- 106 points

Victory points: 70
Money points: 18
Scoring points: 18

Wins: Farmers Insurance Open, RBC Canadian Open, PGA Championship, The Barclays, BMW Championship

3. Bubba Watson -- 52 points

Victory points:20
Money points: 16
Scoring points: 16

Wins: WGC-HSBC Champions, Travelers Championship

4. Zach Johnson -- 46 points

Victory points: 30
Money points: 6
Scoring points: 10

Wins: Open Championship

5. Rickie Fowler -- 44 points

Victory points: 30
Money points: 14

Wins: The Players Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship 

6. Dustin Johnson -- 34 points

Victory points:10
Money points: 12
Scoring points: 12#

Wins: WGC-Cadillac Championship

T7. Rory McIlroy -- 28 points

Victory points: 20
Money points: 8

Wins: WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship, Wells Fargo Championship

T7. Justin Rose -- 28 points

Victory points: 10
Money points: 10
Scoring points: 8

Wins: Zurich Classic of New Orleans

9. Jimmy Walker -- 22 points

Victory points: 20
Money points: 2

Wins: SONY Open of Hawaii, Valero Texas Open

10. Henrik Stenson -- 18 points

Money points:  4
Scoring points: 14

#: Ineligible for Vardon Trophy due to incomplete round on June 11; penalized .10 for scoring points in PGA Player of the Year Standings

FINAL 2015 Vardon Trophy Standings
(Ending 9/27/15)

Player Total Rounds Adjusted Avg.
1. Jordan Spieth 91 68.911
2. Jason Day 75 69.161
3. Bubba Watson 71 69.296
4. Henrik Stenson 63 69.354
5. Zach Johnson 90 69.725
6. Justin Rose 69 69.744
7. Paul Casey 87 69.806
8. Brooks Koepka 84 69.832
9. Jim Furyk 71 69.845
10. Hideki Matsuyama 95 69.940

Points are distributed based upon the following:

A) Tournament victories Points
PGA Championship 30
U.S. Open 30
Open Championship 30
Masters 30
The Players Championship 20
All other PGA TOUR events, including
World Championship events 10

B) Money winnings: PGA Tour official money list

Points
1st 20
2nd 18
3rd 16
4th 14
5th 12
6th 10
7th 8
8th 6
9th 4
10th 2

C) Adjusted scoring average: min. 60 rounds

Points

1st 20
2nd 18
3rd 16
4th 14
5th 12
6th 10
7th 8
8th 6
9th 4
10th 2