We’re still three good weeks away from the likes of a Steve Stricker or Lucas Glover or Y.E. Yang winning – Tiger Woods’ five victories and 12 top 10s in 14 events is still the leader in the clubhouse, regardless of his major haul – but at least we’re having a Player of the Year conversation.
Further down the pyramid of influence, however, is an even more heated race for the Rookie of the Year award. Of the year’s 28 first-year players, only eight made it to the playoffs and Webb Simpson, at 41st on the FedEx Cup points list, is pacing all rookies with three top 10s and an eighth-place finish last week at The Barclays.
But don’t mail the RoY hardware to Simpson just yet, the fall is where rookies make their bones (see Dustin Johnson, 2008 Turning Stone Resort Championship).
As for the Comeback Player of the Year award, box it up and ship it to Isleworth Country Club. He may make it look easy, but no one has come further than Woods in the last 12 months.
