News

Harrington Voted PGA Tour Player Of The Year

December 15, 2008
golfworld-2008-12-gwar01_081216harrington.jpg

Harrington joined Tiger Woods as the only golfer in the last 20 years to win successive majors.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Padraig Harrington was voted PGA Tour player of the year by his peers Tuesday, becoming the first European player to win the award since it began in 1990.

Harrington only won twice this year, but they were majors - the British Open and the PGA Championship - making him the first European to win successive majors in the same season, and joining Tiger Woods as the only player to do that in the last 20 years.

Woods won four times before season-ending knee surgery in June, including the U.S. Open for the his 14th major, and he was second on the money list despite playing only six times. Woods was among the candidates, along with Vijay Singh, Kenny Perry and Camilo Villegas.

Unlike other sports organizations, the PGA Tour does not disclose the vote totals.

In other tour awards, Bernhard Langer was voted player of the year on the Champions Tour, while Brendan de Jonge won the award on the Nationwide Tour.

Andres Romero was voted PGA Tour rookie of the year, while Dudley Hart was voted comeback player of the year.