Thomas named PGA of America’s 2020 Player Of The Year

September 9th, 2020 / Bernie McGuire

Justin Thomas has edged out Spaniard Jon Rahm to capture his second PGA of America Player of the Year Award, presented by the PGA of America for excellence by a PGA Tour professional.

Strangely, Dustin Johnson who won three of his last eight PGA Tour 2019/20 season events, including Monday’s Tour Championship title, did not figure in the final PGA of American standings.

Justin Thomas Justin Thomas captured his third title of the season in Memphis (Credit: PGA Tour)

Thomas, and who also won three season events, earned his second career PGA Player of the Year honour and first since 2017.

Thomas collected 66 overall points, including 30 for winning The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges, Sentry Tournament of Champions and the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Thomas shared runner-up honours in the FedEx Cup with Xander Schauffele.

Rahm finished with 56 points for his highest-ever PGA Player of the Year performance, while PGA Champion Collin Morikawa (54) was third and Webb Simpson (52) fourth, while collecting his first Vardon Trophy.

Thomas won the season money title (20 points) based upon events prior to the 30-player FedEx Cup finale, and he finished third in the Vardon Trophy race for 16 points.

Schauffele posted a 265 total for 72 holes in the TOUR Championship, earning 10 points under PGA of America rules that reward the low scorer to determine the PGA Player of the Year.

Since 1948, the PGA of America has honoured 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 2019-20 season began with the A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier on Sept. 12, 2019, and concluded Monday, Sept. 7, at the TOUR Championship.

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the TOUR schedule, there was only one major championship — the PGA Championship — played within the regular season points system.

In the Vardon Trophy race, Simpson finished with a 68.978 adjusted scoring average based upon 52 complete rounds. Rahm was runner-up at 69.127; followed by Thomas (69.128), Rory McIlroy (69.219) and Schauffele (69.227).

Dustin Johnson remains the favourite to take out the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year award following his crowning as the 2020 FedExCup champion.