He's won half of this year's majors... so why not? I think he deserves it more than Kenny Perry or Anthony Kim.

What do you guys think?

yep.. its a lock.

why not..

actually he deserves it.

Absolutely!

Definately

I really dont think there is any doubt about it!

Can't see anyone else that deserves it. Only other player that I can see that might be able to take it was Perry, but the quality of the field in Perrys wins are nothing like a major. Maybe Perry could take comeback player OTY (although he has really "come back" as much as he is finally "coming on" IMO, if that makes any sense).

No question.

No doubt, Paddy is player of the year.

Ummmm, did you guys forget Tiger??
Am I missing something?

Paddy's got 2 majors... that's better the 1 last time I looked..

Tiger has 4(1) as opposed to 2(2), but Paddy still gets the nod in my mind.

Nobody will forget about Tiger's performance at the U.S. Open this year and it will be talked about for years to come. Nobody should take away the fact that Harrington won 2 out of the 4 majors this year! He definitely deserves player of the year!!! He's come a long way and it took a minute for his first one, but 3 majors in 2 years....not too shabby.

TW's play was so exceptional in his 6 events.......

That said, if Paddy doesn't have it sewed up yet, he still has some events to close the door.

Tiger's US Open was one for the ages, but Paddy gets my vote- for sure!

1. Paddy
2. Tiger
3. who cares, no one seemed to want it.

It has to be Paddy. 2 majors in a year can't be topped by anyone else...

Very interesting comments from several of the Golf World, Golf Digest, PGATOUR.com, Golfweek, Sports Illustrated writers. All say Tiger will win POY in a runaway, saying there's never been anything like what he accomplished in the US Open and in the 6 events he competed in. They seem to believe Paddy wouldn't have had a chance if Tiger had been healthy for both majors Paddy won. I find that hard to believe. How can you not acknowledge Paddy's accomplishments?

I don't think TW will run away with the title, but I certainly think he's in a position to generate a bit of debate between him and Harrington amongst those that matter (i.e. not me).

Albeit Harrington's achievements are remarkable and inevitably fresh in the mind, before Woods' knee/shin became the hot topic he went out and cleaned up for the first half of the season and the talk was of a potential clean sweep for the season/grand slam etc. Pretty heady stuff, but honestly not pie in the sky given the measure of the man and his form. Without injury, Woods would no doubt have racked up another season of umpteen victories.

Two majors in the space of a month is incredible; but one major and several months of total dominance is also pretty notable stuff.

I vote Harrington myself, but by a narrow margin. Perry gets an honorable mention but is in a very distant third place.

That kind of BS and headlines like "Ryder Cup: Can the US Win Without Tiger?" (this month's Golf Magazine) annoy the heck out of me. I don't miss him, I really don't.

+1 for Paddy.

I think so, he deserves it...

Kenny who???? Paddy deserves POY as of this moment. His 2 majors trump whatever Perry has done.

He would have my vote that is for sure, just never would think he would win two majors in a row. Good Job to him!

Paddy is just a notch above Tiger so yes.

Another vote for Paddy, well done and deserved.

Nice to see the high level of talent that lurks within the shadow of the woods

Its Paddy's year over Kenny Milwaukeeoverbritishopen anytime. Tiger can try and win Comeback Player of The Year next season.

I think he needs another victory on tour to win, If not I give it to Tiger guy only played two majors and one won and has three other wins, while Harrington I am guessing played four and won two. I think the real debate is do we now have a new number 2 player in the world?

He should definitely win it this year. His performances have been absolutely great.

Who cares what tiger did.. he still only played in 6 events...

I don't care what he did in those 6 events, yes its great.. but hes still human.. there is no guarantee he would have kept that up the rest of the year.

As for paddy winning without tiger in the field.. he won The Open last year with tiger in the field.. who says he wouldn't have it again.

These writers need to grow up and get over their love for tiger.. he is still human. He's not some god who wins everything in a land slide..

disagree, because that would be disrespecting Paddy in my view. It's not paddy's fault or hell even Tiger fault he's injured. The season does not end on Eldricks injury.. BS.. Paddy is POY and yes maybe #2 too. I'm sure he's either 3/4 when the new ratings come out.

Paddy for sure.

Absolutely 100% YES!!! He has earned it, and he better win it. What a show today.

Honestly though... If a player in the NBA average 50-60 points a game, 15 rebounds and 15 assists say, led a few nice comebacks, and only played 15 games.. do they really deserve to be the MVP? They didn't even play close to a season.. it shouldn't even be considered if you ask me...

I have a lot of respect for tiger and he does some amazing things.. but he's not THAT good.. he is very very very good.. but hes not just that insane.

Lets compare the total years results so far...
Tiger
1st
1st
1st
5th
2nd Masters
1st US Open

Padraig
t14
t3
t17
14
t26
t5 Masters
mc
t4
t36 US Open
1st British
t20
1st PGA

Now Ill let you decide. My vote goes to the player who never finished out of the top 5 all year.

Good topic! Tiger's dominance in the tournaments he played in this year (especially considering his injuries) cannot be overlooked and will make for a lot of discussion.

Ironically, I think if you were to ask Tiger, I bet he would say Paddy. When it all comes down to it...there are 4 tournaments every year that matter the most...and discounting Paddy's major victories with the * rule of Tiger's absence is absurd...he still overcame the field to win and is a major winner.

While Tiger has provided highlight wins this year (US OPEN), and whichever tournament it was where he drained that 20fter big breaker to win. But Paddy has stepped up in a big way. 2 majors is serious even if tiger was absent, but what I thought was interesting was that he blew away the competition in the combined score for all 4 majors. Whats the POY for tiger, just another notch in the belt, it has big meaning for Paddy.

I think I brought up this topic first, in the PGA thread minutes after it ended.

I guarantee Tiger would assert Paddy as Player of the Year.

And the writers are morons if they think Tiger was a certainty to win even one of the two that Paddy took. There's a reason he's always above even money on the betting line in every tournament. That was true even at his peak in 2000.

I remember I took 3/2 on Tiger in the 2000 British Open, a month after Tiger won the US Open by 15 shots. Admittedly, those odds dropped but I got 3/2 early.

Those writers are generally idiots when it comes to probability. I nearly fell off my couch in a seizure of laughter when John Hawkins said Tiger's loss at Doral moved him up from 40% likelihood to 50%, in terms of winning the Masters. Talk about clueless. Winning propels. Losing creates doubt and gives the opposition hope. My summation was just the opposite, that Tiger's loss dropped him from 50% to 40% likelihood at Augusta.

However, it's true that Tiger's win in the US Open would have boosted him and demoralized the field heading to the British, if Tiger had been healthy.

While I do think If he were healthy Tiger would certainly be player of the year even if Paddy won the two majors as Tiger would likely rack up ten wins and would have probably been no worse than top 10 in those two majors, I don't think he can be considered by default, so I would give it to Paddy. Also, John Hawkins is a complete moron he does not need to be on TV he says stuff and then just stops and waits for someone to agree with him.

2 majors in one year wins player of the year in my book.

I think you have to play the entire season to earn any yearly award. I definitely think it would be disrespectful to padraig, or any of the other players competing to have the award handed to Tiger Woods. Especially since Tiger Woods withdrew himself from the Fed Ex cup standings, he should be negated for any awards on the season.

four 1st, one 2nd..... and a 5th.

that's insane.

Paddy. It's Player of the YEAR. I would think even Tiger would agree two majors is a better year than one!

And I don't think we should just assume a healthy Tiger would have won the British and PGA. 32 on the back nines is rather "tigeresque". I think Paddy has learned how to win majors in a very Tiger-Like way.

Imho Paddy shoots the same regardless whom he is playing against coming down the back nine.

Paddy for POY!

Hmmm you seem to left events out from Tiger's list. Let me complete it for you:

Tiger
1st
1st
1st
5th
2nd Masters
1st US Open
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP
...

Harrington wins Augusta and NYC goes Irish mad at Bethpage talking up a potential Paddy Slam...... v Tiger....

Is Tiger able to pick up an award for Player Of The Year when he has only played for 6 months.

Paddy gets my vote,first of all he gets back to back British open's ev if Tiger did not play this year,he did play last year,also he is the first european to win the PGA since the 1930's.

We still have about 3 months of golf left in which Paddy can still do a lot of golf,he will most likely finish of with the number 1 spot on the european tour.

But what makes a Player of the year,is it someone who has won 4 times out of six and this is what has become expected of him,or is it someone who turns his game around when it is needed and completes a 4/2 in the majors.

Paddy to me will be the winner in 2008 not just because i am an european,but because he is the first european golfer that i belive could take on Tiger in 2009,weve tried Sergio,we tried Monty,but Paddy seams to be able to produce the results when needed.

What ever happens the Masters in 2009 will be fun as Tiger will wont to come back and say"thanks for keeping my silverwear clean but i'm having it back".
To which Paddy will say"Bring It On"

Paddy in my eyes, but i can see where Tiger wold have a case.

He was in mind blowing form early on in the year, but to speculate that he would have continued on that run (even though it is possible) is silly, and paddy's 2 majors were both fantastic wins.

Paddy gets my vote.

Paddy or Tiger. Either would be a great choice and the one that misses out is unlucky.

certainly. hopefully he had a good ryder cup to top it all off

I would vote for Paddy. Tiger was great in the events he played, but not finishing the year due to injury, I think he would say Paddy is POY.

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. But its certainly been an entertaining season. With the absence of Tiger they really couldn't have asked for a better Sunday at the PGA Championship. Awesome golf and a deserving champion. POY? I honestly think the award is somewhat deserved by both Tiger and Paddy. I would kinda like to see Harrington get at least one more tour victory. But I think if the ballot was in front of me I would give the nod to Paddy. And I am sure Tiger would do the same.