Each year since 1984, the PDGA has awarded Player of the Year (POY) to the top male and female Pro players and Rookie of the Year (ROY) to the top male and female Pro rookies. Until 2008, this was done by a vote of PDGA officers, touring players and other PDGA movers and shakers. The process was automated in 2009 to use a mix of each player's best stats during the year to determine the winners with no vote involved. This process has been further improved for the 2012 season with a points system where the standings are easier to track and can more easily be calculated by members and players. This process will crown North American Players of the Year and Rookies of the Year. PDGA Europe will crown their own Players of the Year and Rookies of the Year using a similar process based upon their events.
NEW 2012 Process (for 2012 Season to be awarded in 2013)
PDGA US Major Finish – Pro Worlds, USDGC, USWDGC
30 points – 1st place 10 points – 6th place
18 points – 2nd place 8 points – 7th place
16 points – 3rd place 6 points – 8th place
14 points – 4th place 4 points – 9th place
12 points – 5th place 2 points – 10th place
National Tour Finish & International Major Finish
25 points – 1st place 10 points – 6th place
18 points – 2nd place 8 points – 7th place
16 points – 3rd place 6 points – 8th place
14 points – 4th place 4 points – 9th place
12 points – 5th place 2 points – 10th place
SuperTour Finishes (10) - Top Ten Best Finishes per Player
15 points – 1st place
8 points – 2nd place
6 points – 3rd place
4 points – 4th place
2 points – 5th place
PDGA Tour Event Finishes – B tier
5 points – 1st place
Bonus Points - Awarded to the top 10 leaders in each category below (1st-20 points, 2nd-18, 3rd-16, and so on down to 10th-2 points)
Calendar Year Rating
Money Earned
Cash Per Event ( $Winnings/Events Played)
Total Tournament Wins (No Doubles)
Winning Percentage (#wins/#events)
Tie Breakers:
1) Total Points in Major Finishes
2) Highest Rated Round in an A-Tier or above
2011 POY/ROY Process (2011 Winners announced around March 1, 2012)
For Player of the Year, these four factors are used:
- Player's Best 7 Event Ratings* - Two Major/NT/ET and five best B-tier or higher (excluding Worlds)
- Worlds Event Rating* thru prelims or semis
- Percentage Finish in their seven best events
- Head-to-Head performance against the other finalists.
* The Event Rating is a new stat calculated for players. It's the simple average of the official round ratings a player earns at an event.
2011 finalists will be determined following the Feb 14, 2012 ratings update. Then, final calculations involving the other three factors listed above will be made to determine winners.
For Rookie of the Year (ROY), the first three factors are used but just five events are included - one major/NT/ET and four others. It's uncommon for even top Rookie candidates to face each other very often during the season, so Head-to-Head performance is not calculated for ROY.
Previous PDGA POY and ROY Award winners are available here.
For information on the calculations involved for 2011, please see the following file:
