Harry Vardon Trophy

The award was created in 1937 as the Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy. In its first year the award was presented to the player with the best average in the major stroke play events. Seven events were used: Daily Mail Tournament, Silver King Tournament, Dunlop-Southport Tournament, Southend Tournament, Open Championship, Irish Open and News Chronicle Tournament. Qualifying rounds did not count and a minimum of 18 rounds had to be played. The Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament with its restricted field was not included and so the last qualifying event was the delayed Southend Tournament. Charles Whitcombe became the first winner with an average of 71.62 for 24 rounds. He had played in 6 of the 7 events (all except the Irish Open) scoring 289, 289, 283, 294, 282 and 282 for a total of 1719. The Irish golfer Paddy Mahon was second with an average of 71.90.[1][2][3]

Six events were used in 1938 with a minimum of 16 rounds which had to include The Open Championship. The same events were used as in 1937 with the exception of the Southend Tournament. Henry Cotton won the award with an average of 72.87 having played in 4 of the 6 qualifying events. Reg Whitcombe was second with an average of 73.35 for 20 rounds.[4][5]

A new system was introduced in 1939. A points system was used with the winner getting 1 point, 2nd place getting 2 points, down to 26 points for finishing outside the top 25. Five events were used with a minimum of 16 rounds which had to include the four rounds of the Open Championship. The Dunlop-Southport Tournament did not take place but otherwise the same tournaments were used as in 1938. Reg Whitcombe won with a score of 27 (7th, 6th, 3rd, 2nd and 9th). Sam King was second on 49 which included 26 points because he had not played in the Irish Open. King had a lower average (72.87) than Whitcombe (73).[6][7]

In 1946, after World War II, the award was again given to the player with the best average in the major stroke play events. 20 rounds were required and four rounds of the Open were compulsory. Bobby Locke won with an average of 73.16 in 36 rounds.[8] Norman Von Nida won in 1947 with an average of 71.25 in 52 rounds[9] and Charlie Ward won in 1948 averaging 71.29 over 44 rounds.[10]

Year	Winner	Points
	DP World Tour Rankings
2022	Rory McIlroy (4)	4,754
Year	Race to Dubai	Points
2021	Collin Morikawa	5,856
2020	Lee Westwood (3)	3,128
2019	Jon Rahm	5,898
2018	Francesco Molinari	6,041,521
2017	Tommy Fleetwood	5,386,955
2016	Henrik Stenson (2)	5,289,506
2015	Rory McIlroy (3)	4,727,253
2014	Rory McIlroy (2)	7,149,503
2013	Henrik Stenson	4,103,796
Year	Race to Dubai	Prize money (€)
2012	Rory McIlroy	5,519,118
2011	Luke Donald	5,323,400
2010	Martin Kaymer	4,461,011
2009	Lee Westwood (2)	4,237,762
Year	Order of Merit	Prize money (€)
2008	Robert Karlsson	2,732,748
2007	Justin Rose	2,944,945
2006	Pádraig Harrington	2,489,337
2005	Colin Montgomerie (8)	2,794,223
2004	Ernie Els (2)	4,061,905
2003	Ernie Els	2,975,374
2002	Retief Goosen (2)	2,360,128
Year	Volvo Order of Merit	Prize money (€)
2001	Retief Goosen	2,862,806
2000	Lee Westwood	3,125,147
1999	Colin Montgomerie (7)	1,822,880
Year	Volvo Order of Merit	Prize money (£)
1998	Colin Montgomerie (6)	993,077
1997	Colin Montgomerie (5)	798,948
1996	Colin Montgomerie (4)	875,146
1995	Colin Montgomerie (3)	835,051
1994	Colin Montgomerie (2)	762,720
1993	Colin Montgomerie	613,683
1992	Nick Faldo (2)	708,522
1991	Seve Ballesteros (6)	545,354
1990	Ian Woosnam (2)	574,166
1989	Ronan Rafferty	400,311
1988	Seve Ballesteros (5)	451,560
Year	Epson Order of Merit	Prize money (£)
1987	Ian Woosnam	253,717
1986	Seve Ballesteros (4)	242,209
1985	Sandy Lyle (3)	162,553
Year	Sperry Order of Merit	Prize money (£)
1984	Bernhard Langer (2)	139,344
Year	Official money list	Prize money (£)
1983	Nick Faldo	119,416
1982	Greg Norman	66,406
1981	Bernhard Langer	81,036
1980	Sandy Lyle (2)	43,346
1979	Sandy Lyle	49,232
Year	Order of Merit	Prize money (£)
1978	Seve Ballesteros (3)	47,177
1977	Seve Ballesteros (2)	46,435
Year	Order of Merit	Points
1976	Seve Ballesteros	21,495
1975	Dale Hayes	17,487
1974	Peter Oosterhuis (4)	2,965
1973	Peter Oosterhuis (3)	3,440
1972	Peter Oosterhuis (2)	1,751

Before 1972 the Order of Merit had been based on a points system or stroke average, so it was not necessarily headed by the golfer who won the most money. In 1971 Peter Oosterhuis won the Order of Merit and won £9,269. Gary Player was the leading money winner with £11,281 but of that, £8,500 came from winning the 1971 Piccadilly World Match Play Championship.[11]

Year	Order of Merit winner
1971	Peter Oosterhuis
1970	Neil Coles (2)
1969	Bernard Gallacher
1968	Brian Huggett
1967	Malcolm Gregson
1966	Peter Alliss (2)
1965	Bernard Hunt (3)
1964	Peter Alliss
1963	Neil Coles
1962	Christy O'Connor Snr (2)
1961	Christy O'Connor Snr
1960	Bernard Hunt (2)
1959	Dai Rees (2)
1958	Bernard Hunt
1957	Eric Brown
1956	Harry Weetman (2)
1955	Dai Rees
1954	Bobby Locke (3)
1953	Flory Van Donck
1952	Harry Weetman
1951	John Panton
1950	Bobby Locke (2)
1949	Charlie Ward (2)
1948	Charlie Ward
1947	Norman Von Nida
1946	Bobby Locke
1940–1945: No award
1939	Reg Whitcombe
1938	Henry Cotton
1937	Charles Whitcombe

Multiple winners

Rank	Player	Wins	First win	Last win
1	Colin Montgomerie	8	1993	2005
2	Seve Ballesteros	6	1976	1991
T3	Peter Oosterhuis	4	1971	1974
	Rory McIlroy	4	2012	2022
T5	Lee Westwood	3	2009	2020
	Sandy Lyle	3	1979	1985
	Bernard Hunt	3	1958	1965
	Bobby Locke	3	1946	1954
T9	Henrik Stenson	2	2013	2016
	Ernie Els	2	2003	2004
	Retief Goosen	2	2001	2002
	Nick Faldo	2	1983	1992
	Ian Woosnam	2	1987	1990
	Bernhard Langer	2	1981	1984
	Neil Coles	2	1963	1970
	Peter Alliss	2	1964	1966
	Christy O'Connor Snr	2	1961	1962
	Dai Rees	2	1955	1959
	Harry Weetman	2	1952	1956
	Charlie Ward	2	1948	1949

• Harry Vardon Trophy Honour Roll at www.pga.info
• Harry Vardon Trophy winners at www.europeantour.com