Might As Well Send In Your Ballot

A few weeks back, immediately after Luke Donald’s run to the money title of the USA PGA Tour, said tour announced that ballots for its Player Of The Year would be held up until after this week’s HSBC Champions event in Shanghai. This was news to all, as the event is not considered official money, unless you win? Or is the win official, but the money is not??

In any event, it looks to be all over for golfers not named Luke (or surnamed Donald.) Fredrik Jacobson (1 win), Louis Oosthuizen (0 wins)and Adam Scott (1 win) make up the top three, with the closest American player (Bo Van Pelt, 0 wins)at #8. Nothing is going to change the POY ballot at this juncture, not even if Rory McIlroy comes from 4th place/4 strokes in arrears, to win. Such a victory would give RM two victories on the year, but no money title.

The announcement was weird, either satisfying PGA Tour fears of a legal challenge to an official/unofficial event, or jingoistic-conspiracy concerns that a repeat of the Rickie-over-Rory for Rookie of the Year (ROY) in 2010 would happen. For those with a short memory, Fowler was voted (by the players) as ROY over McIlroy, despite not winning an event (as McIlroy did at Charlotte) and not winning as much money as McIlroy.

Presidents Cup, anyone?