Vardon Trophy Explained

The Vardon Trophy was awarded by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average.^[1] When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low scoring average. In 1988, the trophy began going to the golfer with the lowest adjusted scoring average over a minimum of 60 rounds, with no mid-round withdrawals (instituted in 1988^[2]). The PGA of America last presented the award in 2002.^[3] The trophy was named for the Jersey golfing great Harry Vardon, who died in 1937.

The PGA Tour presents its own Byron Nelson Award annually to the player with the lowest adjusted scoring average for the year. It has a 50-round minimum, and was instituted in 1980.^[4]

For both awards, non-medal rounds (such as in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and The International) count towards the minimum number of rounds but are not included in the calculation of the scoring average.^[5]

Differences in the eligibility criteria for the awards have resulted in different players winning the awards on six occasions. In 1988, 1993, and 1995, Greg Norman won the Byron Nelson Award but not the Vardon Trophy because he failed to meet the 60 round minimum for the Vardon Trophy (52, 54, and 58 rounds, respectively).^[6] This also happened to Tiger Woods in 2006 (55 rounds)^{[5] [6]} and Steve Stricker in 2013 (51 rounds). In 1989, Payne Stewart failed to qualify for the Vardon Trophy because of his mid-round withdrawal from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.^[7] In 1987, Dan Pohl won the Vardon Trophy even though David Frost and Paul Azinger both had lower averages;^[6] Frost and Azinger were not PGA of America members, a requirement for eligibility that was dropped after the 1987 season.^[8] The minimum rounds required also dropped from 80 to 60 at that time.

For the 2019–20 season, the minimum rounds required to be eligible for the trophy was reduced from 60 to 44, due to cancellation of tournaments because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[9] The minimum rounds for the Byron Nelson Award dropped from 50 to 35.^[10]

Winners

Year	Winner	Adjusted Scoring Average (60 round minimum)	Byron Nelson Award	Adjusted Scoring Average (50 round minimum)
2023	No award		68.63
2022		68.67	Rory McIlroy	68.67
2021		69.30		69.30
2020		68.98		68.98
2019		69.06	Rory McIlroy	69.06
2018		68.70	Dustin Johnson	68.70
2017		68.85	Jordan Spieth	68.85
2016		69.17	Dustin Johnson	69.17
2015		68.91	Jordan Spieth	68.91
2014		68.83	Rory McIlroy	68.83
2013		68.98		68.95
2012		68.87	Rory McIlroy	68.87
2011		68.86	Luke Donald	68.86
2010		69.61	Matt Kuchar	69.61
2009		68.05	Tiger Woods	68.05
2008		69.12	Sergio García	69.12
2007		67.79	Tiger Woods	67.79
2006		68.86	Tiger Woods	68.11
2005		68.66	Tiger Woods	68.66
2004		68.84	Vijay Singh	68.84
2003		68.41	Tiger Woods	68.41
2002		68.56	Tiger Woods	68.56
2001		68.81	Tiger Woods	68.81
2000		67.79	Tiger Woods	67.79
1999		68.43	Tiger Woods	68.43
1998		69.13	David Duval	69.13
1997		68.98	Nick Price	68.98
1996		69.32	Tom Lehman	69.32
1995		69.92	Greg Norman	69.06
1994		68.81	Greg Norman	68.81
1993		69.11	Greg Norman	68.90
1992		69.38	Fred Couples	69.38
1991		69.59	Fred Couples	69.38
1990		69.10	Greg Norman	69.10
1989		69.49		69.485
1988		69.46	Greg Norman	69.38
Year	Winner	Scoring Average (80 round minimum)	Byron Nelson Award	Scoring Average (50 round minimum)
1987		70.25		70.09
1986		70.08	Scott Hoch	70.08
1985		70.36	Don Pooley	70.36
1984		70.56	Calvin Peete	70.56
1983		70.61	Raymond Floyd	70.61
1982		70.21	Tom Kite	70.21
1981		69.80	Tom Kite	69.80
1980		69.73	Lee Trevino	69.73

Year	Winner	Scoring Average
1979		align=center	70.27
1978		align=center	70.16
1977		align=center	70.32
1976		align=center	70.56
1975		align=center	70.57
1974		align=center	70.53
1973		align=center	70.57
1972		align=center	70.89
1971		align=center	70.27
1970		align=center	70.64
1969		align=center	70.34
1968		align=center	69.82
1967		align=center	70.18
1966		align=center	70.27
1965		align=center	70.85
1964		align=center	70.01
1963		align=center	70.58
1962		align=center	70.27
1961		align=center	69.85
1960		align=center	69.95
1959		align=center	70.35
1958		align=center	70.11
1957		align=center	70.30
1956		align=center	70.35
1955		align=center	69.86
1954		align=center	70.41
1953		align=center	70.22
1952		align=center	70.54
1951		align=center	70.05
1950		align=center	69.23
1949		align=center	69.37
1948		align=center	69.30
1947		align=center	69.90

Year	Winner	Points
1941		align=center	494
1940		align=center	423
1939		align=center	473
1938		align=center	520
1937		align=center	500

Multiple winners

Sixteen men have won the Vardon Trophy more than once (1937–2022).

• 9 wins
  • Tiger Woods

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013

• 5 wins
  • Billy Casper

1960, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968

• • Lee Trevino

1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1980

• 4 wins
  • Arnold Palmer

1961, 1962, 1964, 1967

• • Sam Snead

1938, 1949, 1950, 1955

• • Rory McIlroy

2012, 2014, 2019, 2022

• 3 wins
  • Ben Hogan

1940, 1941, 1948

• • Greg Norman

1989, 1990, 1994

• • Tom Watson

1977, 1978, 1979

• 2 wins
  • Fred Couples

1991, 1992

• • Bruce Crampton

1973, 1975

• • Dustin Johnson

2016, 2018

• • Tom Kite

1981, 1982

• • Lloyd Mangrum

1951, 1953

• • Nick Price

1993, 1997

• • Jordan Spieth

2015, 2017

Seven men have won the Byron Nelson Award more than once (1980–2023).

• 9 wins
  • Tiger Woods

1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

• 5 wins
  • Greg Norman

1988, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995

• 4 wins
  • Rory McIlroy

2012, 2014, 2019, 2022

• 2 wins
  • Fred Couples

1991, 1992

• • Dustin Johnson

2016, 2018

• • Tom Kite

1981, 1982

• • Jordan Spieth

2015, 2017

External links

• PGA Vardon Trophy Winners at about.com
• Byron Nelson Award at about.com

Notes and References

1. Web site: PGA Champion Rory McIlroy wins PGA Player of Year and Vardon Trophy . November 12, 2012 . March 5, 2013.
2. News: Norman's Grip on Trophy Broken by a Technicality . The New York Times . Larry . Dorman . October 26, 1995 . March 5, 2013.
3. News: Xander Schauffele has the points for PGA player of the year. But the award no longer exists . Associated Press News . Doug . Ferguson . August 27, 2024.
4. Web site: 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship Media Guide . 75 . The Byron Nelson Award . March 5, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130326042139/http://hpbnc.org/byronnelson/media/guide/ . March 26, 2013 . dead . mdy-all .
5. News: Tiger passes on Funai ... and Scoring Title . https://web.archive.org/web/20061013073319/http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15209052/ . dead . October 13, 2006 . NBC Sports . Associated Press . October 18, 2006 . March 5, 2013.
6. Web site: Scoring Average . PGA Tour . March 12, 2013.
7. Web site: Calcavecchia back into swing with player of year honor on line . https://archive.today/20130411161501/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/55944261.html?dids=55944261:55944261&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug+31,+1989&author=Steve+Hershey&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=PGA+TOUR;Calcavecchia+back+into+swing+with+player+of+year+honor+on+line&pqatl=google . dead . April 11, 2013 . USA Today . Steve . Hershey . C6 . August 31, 1989 . March 12, 2013 . Stewart withdrew Tuesday, citing back problems. He's No. 3 in player of the year standings, although he was disqualified from the Vardon scoring because he pulled out with a bad back at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am....
8. News: PGA cleans up Vardon's image . The Palm Beach Post . . Tim . Rosaforte . 3C . November 14, 1987 . March 12, 2013.
9. News: PGA of America modifies two major awards because of pandemic . ESPN . Associated Press . August 4, 2020.
10. News: McIlroy's Path To Nelson Award Repeat Aided By PGA Change . . . July 22, 2020.