In what bizarro alternate universe is Yani Tseng not every golf watcher’s Player of the Year? In the world of Golf Magazine, which — long publishing lead time or not — erred wildly in passing over 22-year-old world-beater Tseng for Rory McIlroy, another 22-year-old with nine fewer worldwide wins in 2011.
Nothing against the reigning men’s U.S. Open champ, who, the magazine said, “transcended golf more than any other player in the game in 2011.” As Golf noted, McIlroy overcame a “heart-wrenching” Masters loss by winning the Open “with one of the most explosive performances the game has ever seen.”
No disputing any of that. And you could make cases for PGA Tour rookie and two-time winner Keegan Bradley, the New England native who entered and won his first-ever major contest (the PGA Championship), or two-time winner and top-ranked Luke Donald.
But no matter how you view the 2011 golf season, Tseng is the world’s best player. Hands down. No contest.
Tseng has the actual accolades – second consecutive LPGA Tour Player of the Year, Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year – and 2011 numbers to prove it:
- 1 — World golf ranking (as well as ranking in several statistical categories — low scoring average, rounds under par, rounds in the 60s, birdies, driving distance — and on the money list)
- 11 — Number of worldwide victories
- 7 — Number of tour wins in 20 events
- 2 — Number of major championships (Wegmans LPGA Championship, Women’s British Open)
- 22 — Tseng’s age when she became the youngest golfer ever — female or male — to win five majors
- 13 — Number of top-10 finishes
- 18 — Number of points earned toward the 27 required for entry to the World Golf Hall of Fame
If Tseng’s name were McIlroy or Bradley, would there even be a debate? At least Golf Magazine’s readers got it right. They chose Tseng by a landslide (95.7 percent of total votes cast) in the publication’s Facebook poll.
Even Donald weighed in with his disdain for Golf’s candidate. “96% of votes!” Donald tweeted Tuesday. “So rude and disrespectful of Yani. Whoever had final decision just diminished your magazine.”
Related posts:
- Yani Tseng is golf's Player of the Year
- McDowell, Tseng and Langer win GWAA Player of the Year Awards
- Donald unhappy about delay in Player of the Year balloting
- Bradley gets a reprieve in Player of the Year voting
- MICHAEL SIM VOTED 2009 NATIONWIDE TOUR PLAYER OF THE YEAR BY FELLOW PLAYERS AFTER DOMINATING YEAR
