By all accounts, Brooks Koepka has had an outstanding season. And considering that he claimed both the United States Open and PGA Championship, it鈥檚 no wonder quite a few of his peers believe he鈥檚 a lock to be named PGA Tour Player of the Year. Tiger Woods, who has wound up with the distinction a whopping 11 times since he turned professional in late 1996, seems to think so. 鈥淵ou win two majors, you鈥檝e got it,鈥 he said yesterday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not real complicated.鈥
Woods is right, of course. Koepka鈥檚 outstanding showing in half of golf鈥檚 premier stops seals the deal for him. He may have one less triumph on his resume than Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and Bubba Watson, and just as many victories as Jason Day and Justin Rose, but he trumps them all. After all, there are no better tests in the sport than its Grand Slam events. It鈥檚 why those who have won just one throughout an entire career are thought of in high regard, and why winning two in a single year becomes an astounding feat.
It bears noting that the PGA Tour Player of the Year award is different from the PGA of America Player of the Year award. The former is decided by ballots of card-carrying members of the tour, while the latter is earned through the compilation of points based on finishes, with strength of field holding sway. Parenthetically, Koepka already has the PGAA hardware assured regardless of the outcome of the four stops on the FedEx Cup Playoffs rota; even if Johnson, Thomas, or Watson run the table, not enough points are up for grabs to upend his total.
History has shown the PGAA accolade to be an accurate predictor of the outcome of votes for the PGA honor. Woods, for instance, captured both in each of the 11 seasons he separated himself from the competition. Thusly, Koepka should rest easy. He鈥檚 due to be formally recognized, and he deserves it.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since 大象传媒 introduced a Sports section in 1994.
