Paul McGinley has objected to a Player of the Year debate on air, citing PGA Tour bias. Matt Fitzpatrick, one of four golfers to have won at least two PGA Tour events this season, won the Zurich Classic with his brother Alex. So when the Golf Channel panel, which included Jim Nantz, was discussing whether he should get the Player of the Year award if he wins the Open, McGinley lost his cool. He highlighted a huge flaw in that award: PGA Tour-centric voting ignores global achievements.

“You know, I have an issue with all of this player stuff. I think it’s too PGA Tour-centric, and it’s voted on by the players. Basically, what you do after the middle of August is not really important. Some huge events happen after the middle of August. Ryder Cup being won last year, for Rory McIlroy’s performance in the Ryder Cup last year. Player of the Year is a massive title, and it’s been hijacked by the PGA Tour. It should be the PGA Tour Player of the Year, and it should be identified as what you did in the PGA Tour season. Player of the Year is a huge thing in golf, and it should be around the 12-month period of what you do all around the world, not just what you do in the PGA Tour and be American- centric.”

“Rory’s performance last year in winning the Players’ Championship, which he [Jim Nantz] calls the fifth major, winning and completing the Grand Slam, for me, one of the biggest achievements we’ve ever seen in the game, one of the six players in history, should stand above winning another Byron Nelson. Just, you know, not one of the disparities of Byron Nelson, but certainly to take on the mantle of trying to achieve the Grand Slam and getting over the line with it the way that Rory did.”

🤔 golf trivia

This Should Be an Easy One, Right?

01/10

Which Former Champion Criticized DeChambeau's Open Championship Strategy?

Jack NicklausTiger WoodsTom WatsonNick Faldo

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But don’t worry, there’s still the back 9 to prove your high golf IQ

PLAY GOLF TRIVIA

Rory McIlroy capped a historic 2025 by winning the Masters, becoming only the sixth pro ever to complete the career Grand Slam. Not just that, he also dramatically won his second Players Championship. He finished a Monday playoff at TPC Sawgrass.

Internationally, McIlroy won the Irish Open and claimed his seventh Race to Dubai title—matching Seve Ballesteros. He is only one shy of Colin Montgomerie. These achievements even helped him earn the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Yet Scottie Scheffler still took Player of the Year.

Scheffler’s achievements were no less, though. His six PGA Tour wins—including majors at the PGA Championship and The Open—earned him Player of the Year over McIlroy, Fleetwood, and Griffin.

Nantz tried to remind McGinley of this.

“Yeah, I know he did win two majors, but Rory won the Players’ Championship. You call that a major. And also, Rory stood up at the Ryder Cup and led his team to victory. Scottie was nowhere to be seen at the Ryder Cup. Now, that, for me, is a massive thing. So if you want to call Player of the Year, it should be world-centric. What you did in the 12-month character period not during a small period of time,” McGinley replied.

This isn’t a one-off case. McGinley has repeatedly called out the PGA Tour and its American members on multiple things. For instance, speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, he said that the PGA Tour needs to learn one thing from LIV Golf. According to him, the tour should ask its elite players to tee off at key events. He even called out the American pros’ reluctance to travel.

But will his voice about the Player of the Year award be heard?