Follow us on Google Discover Who will be the PGA Tour player of the year this season isn’t an open and shut case as it has been in the past.
For the last two seasons, it’s been undeniable, unequivocally Scottie Scheffler. He won nine times in 2024, and six times in 2025 including two major championships. There has been no debate.
But this year it’s not so simple. Scheffler is still clearly the best player on the planet, and has been the most consistent performer throughout the year. But he’s won just once on the PGA Tour in 2026 at the American Express.
Meanwhile Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup have won three times, but haven’t contended at major championships, Wyndham Clark won the US Open but doesn’t have a high-caliber win on the PGA Tour, and Cameron Young won twice, but not at a major.
These are the five contenders to win the award in 2026, and there’s a real argument for each. But according to Eamon Lynch, there’s a clear favourite among them, and it’s not Scottie Scheffler.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty ImagesEamon Lynch names Cam Young as the clear favourite to win the Player of the Year award
Lynch isn’t torn between these five players. He thinks there’s one that has clearly separated himself above the other four players, and that man is Cameron Young.
After winning for the first time on the PGA Tour at the end of last season, Young has had a breakout year. He won The Players and The Cadillac Championship, was in the final group on Sunday at The Masters, and he finished second at The Open Championship.
Speaking on the Golf Channel, Lynch says that this makes Young the clear favourite to win Player of the Year. He said, “There are a number of candidates, but to me there are only one or two firm favorites for this award. If we just take a look at who has played really well this year, there are five people who I suppose are in the conversation.
“Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup both have three PGA Tour victories. Since neither of those were majors or career defining victories, I don’t think either of those are really, unless they make a big statement over the next couple of weeks, going to win that award.
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“Wyndham Clark, obviously he won the US Open for the second time, he won the Nelson. I think he’s probably got an issue because this is ultimately a popularity vote and he’s a polarizing guy among some in the locker room.
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“Cameron Young to me is the clear favourite. He won The Players Championship, he was second at The Open, he won a Signature Event at Doral.
“We’re being gracious in my mind by putting the world number one and multiple time Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler on this list. Because unless Scottie wins at least a couple of playoff events in the next couple of weeks, I don’t think he’s a player of the year candidate.
“Sustained statistical excellence does not win the Player of the Year award. Trophies win the Player of the Year award. These are players who know how good he is. That’s not in debate that he is the best player in golf right now, no one in their right mind is going to argue that.
“But the Player of the Year award is not for the best statistical performance in golf. It’s for the guy who actually wins the trophies that the guys in the locker room want, and right now to me, the leading candidate for that is Cameron Young.”
Heading into the postseason, Young clearly has the biggest wins of anyone on the PGA Tour. But there are three important events still to be played, so if any of these five players win in the postseason it could be enough to earn them the award.
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