Jordan Spieth wins PGA Tour Player of the Year award; Berger top rookie
Although there was some doubt in the waning weeks of the season, Jordan Spieth was voted by his peers as PGA Tour Player of the Year, the Tour announced Friday.
"It's an honor because to win Player of the Year, because it was our MVP of our league," Spieth said Friday. "And it's voted on by the players. And for them to recognize the hard work that we've put in and what we've been able to do with it is truly special and I thank all the players I look up to."
Spieth enjoyed a five-win season (Valspar Championship, the Masters, U.S. Open, John Deere Classic and Tour Championship), marking the first time that a player 22 or under enjoyed at least a handful of wins in a season since 1929 (Horton Smith). Included in those five wins were breakthrough wins at the U.S. Open and Masters, where he set the 36- and 54-hole scoring records and tied Tiger Woods' 1997 score for the best 72-hole total in tournament history. Spieth became the youngest player since Gene Sarazen in 1922 to capture two major titles.
Spieth also finished T-4, a shot out of a three-man playoff, at the British Open and second to Jason Day at the PGA Championship, ending the year a total of four shots away from the single-season Grand Slam.
The Texan rose to No. 1 in the world after the PGA Championship, which he reclaimed with his win at the Tour Championship, which also locked up the FedEx Cup. Spieth's 2014-15 season is now the richest in PGA Tour history, passing Vijay Singh's nine-win 2004 campaign. In total, Spieth won just over $22 million, including the $10 million bonus for taking home the FedEx Cup.
On top of all that, Spieth also won the Vardon Trophy for lowest adjusted scoring average.
In 25 official PGA Tour events this season, Spieth finished runner-up another four times and inside the top 10 in 15 tournaments.
Spieth is the youngest player to win the player-voted honor since Tiger Woods did so in 1997 at the age of 21.
Daniel Berger won Rookie of the Year honors over challengers like Justin Thomas and Tony Finau. Berger lost in a playoff to Padraig Harrington for The Honda Classic in March, then finished second at the third playoff event, the BMW Championship, to advance to the Tour Championship.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
