Thursday, October 19, 2006

Tiger's done with the Vardon this year

Even as Tiger Woods's little over 68 adjusted scoring average is the lowest this year, he will not win the Vardon Trophy he won 5 consecutive times from 1999 to 2003 and a record sixth time in 2005. Why? Since 1937, the Vardon Trophy, named in honor of famed British golfer Harry Vardon, is awarded annually to the touring professional with the lowest Adjusted Scoring Average. It is based on a minimum of 60 rounds, with no incomplete rounds, in events co-sponsored or designated by the PGA Tour. Since Tiger missed the cut once this year and retired from another, and would have only played 59 rounds by the end of the season, he won't get the Vardon Trophy. This will be Furyk's to claim.

There is no doubt Tiger will get PGA Player of the Year, a more important award, the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Award for lowest scoring average (same as Vardon but only requires 50 rounds), and the money award too (least important, really, but still will add to what he can put into his foundation to help the needy, really).

Read Gary Van Sickle at SI.com, and why he thinks we should not be too hard on Tiger for not having the "drive" to claim another Vardon.

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