Two wins, five runner-up finishes, and the No. 1 spot in both the OWGR and FedEx Cup standings. With a resume like that, it seemed almost inevitable that Scottie Scheffler would be named Player of the Year. Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee certainly felt that way. But in a recent conversation, Chamblee was asked whether Wyndham Clark’s victory at the BMW Championship, and potential wide-margin wins at the Tour Championship and beyond, could change his stance on the award.
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“It wouldn’t change the way I’m thinking, but it might change the way some other tour players think,” Chamblee said. “I think they really do value the playoffs… At the end of the year, even if Wyndham wins, there is no doubt who played the best this year. It’s not even close… It’s a 50-man field and next week’s a 30-man field… The year, Scottie is miles ahead.
“Not a little. Miles ahead… Scottie is 50 yards ahead in a 200-meter race… When you sit down to make the vote, it’s like: who had the better year? It’s not about who had a better couple of weeks. It’s about who had the better year.”
Chamblee has a point. While Wyndham Clark has won more tournaments than Scheffler this season, including a major championship, Scheffler has consistently put himself in contention, recording more runner-up finishes and coming agonizingly close to adding even more victories to his resume.
Clark, ranked No. 5 in the OWGR and third in the FedEx Cup standings, has undoubtedly enjoyed an exceptional season. But Scheffler’s overall body of work remains difficult to match, even with Clark potentially adding more wins to his tally. The numbers only strengthen Chamblee’s argument.
Scheffler leads the Tour in adjusted scoring average at 68.654, actual scoring average at 67.96, and Strokes Gained: Total at 2.263. His dominance extends to the financial side as well, with Scheffler earning $20.94 million this season.
Taken together, Chamblee’s argument is firmly supported by the statistics, leaving little doubt about who has been the PGA Tour’s most dominant player in 2026. And if the past has to be taken into account, it won’t be the first time Scottie Scheffler wins the award.
Scottie Scheffler has won 4 consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year awards, including last year, and 1 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year award, totaling 5 professional Player of the Year honors in his career. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he steals the honor one more time.
The PGA Tour Player of the Year winner is decided through a vote among eligible PGA Tour members. A shortlist of nominees is selected based on factors such as overall season performance, tournament victories, major championships, and consistency.
Players who meet the Tour’s participation requirement can then vote for their preferred candidate, with the nominee receiving the highest share of votes winning the award. Voting typically takes place in early December and remains open for about a week.
The PGA Tour then announces the winner shortly after voting closes, usually by mid-December. That said, although there’s still time to determine who will win 2026’s Player of the Year award, Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee seems certain about who will be on the receiving end.