Vardon Trophy


The Vardon Trophy is awarded by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942-1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low scoring average. In 1988, the trophy began going to the golfer with the lowest adjusted scoring average over a minimum of 60 rounds, with no mid-round withdrawals. The trophy is named for the Jersey golfing great Harry Vardon, who died in 1937.
The PGA Tour presents its own Byron Nelson Award annually to the player with the lowest adjusted scoring average for the year. It has a 50-round minimum, and was instituted in 1980.
For both awards, non-medal rounds count towards the minimum number of rounds but are not included in the calculation of the scoring average.
Differences in the eligibility criteria for the awards have resulted in different players winning the awards on six occasions. In 1988, 1993, and 1995, Greg Norman won the Byron Nelson Award but not the Vardon Trophy because he failed to meet the 60 round minimum for the Vardon Trophy. This also happened to Tiger Woods in 2006 and Steve Stricker in 2013. In 1989, Payne Stewart failed to qualify for the Vardon Trophy because of his mid-round withdrawal from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. In 1987, Dan Pohl won the Vardon Trophy even though David Frost and Paul Azinger both had lower averages; Frost and Azinger were not PGA of America members, a requirement for eligibility that was dropped after the 1987 season. The minimum rounds required also dropped from 80 to 60 at that time.

Winners

YearWinnerScoring Average
1979 Tom Watson70.27
1978 Tom Watson70.16
1977 Tom Watson70.32
1976 Don January70.56
1975 Bruce Crampton70.57
1974 Lee Trevino70.53
1973 Bruce Crampton70.57
1972 Lee Trevino70.89
1971 Lee Trevino70.27
1970 Lee Trevino70.64
1969 Dave Hill70.34
1968 Billy Casper69.82
1967 Arnold Palmer70.18
1966 Billy Casper70.27
1965 Billy Casper70.85
1964 Arnold Palmer70.01
1963 Billy Casper70.58
1962 Arnold Palmer70.27
1961 Arnold Palmer69.85
1960 Billy Casper69.95
1959 Art Wall70.35
1958 Bob Rosburg70.11
1957 Dow Finsterwald70.30
1956 Cary Middlecoff70.35
1955 Sam Snead69.86
1954 Dutch Harrison70.41
1953 Lloyd Mangrum70.22
1952 Jack Burke, Jr.70.54
1951 Lloyd Mangrum70.05
1950 Sam Snead69.23
1949 Sam Snead69.37
1948 Ben Hogan69.30
1947 Jimmy Demaret69.90

YearWinnerPoints
1941 Ben Hogan494
1940 Ben Hogan423
1939 Byron Nelson473
1938 Sam Snead520
1937 Harry Cooper500

Multiple winners

Sixteen men have won the Vardon Trophy more than once.
Seven men have won the Byron Nelson Award more than once.