Harry Vardon Trophy

The Harry Vardon Trophy is awarded by the European Tour. Since 2009 it has been awarded to the winner of the Race to Dubai. Before then it was awarded to the winner of the "Order of Merit". From 1975 to 2008 the Order of Merit was based on prize money but before that date a points system was used. From 1937 until the European Tour became an independent organisation, the award was presented by the British PGA. The trophy is named for the Jersey golfing great Harry Vardon, who died in 1937.

This article is about the European Tour golf award. For the PGA Tour award, see Vardon Trophy.

The Race to Dubai is calculated in euro, although many of the events have prize funds which are fixed in other currencies, mainly pounds sterling or U.S. dollars. In these instances, the amounts are converted into euro at the exchange rate for the week that the tournament is played.

History

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]

Winners
YearRace to Dubai leaderPoints
2021 Collin Morikawa5,856
2020 Lee Westwood (3/3)3,128
2019 Jon Rahm5,898
2018 Francesco Molinari6,041,521
2017 Tommy Fleetwood5,386,955
2016 Henrik Stenson (2/2)5,289,506
2015 Rory McIlroy (3/3)4,727,253
2014 Rory McIlroy (2/3)7,149,503
2013 Henrik Stenson (1/2)4,103,796
YearRace to Dubai leaderEarnings (€)
2012 Rory McIlroy (1/3)5,519,118
2011 Luke Donald5,323,400
2010 Martin Kaymer4,461,011
2009 Lee Westwood (2/3)4,237,762
YearOrder of Merit leaderEarnings (€)
2008 Robert Karlsson2,732,748
2007 Justin Rose2,944,945
2006 Pádraig Harrington2,489,337
2005 Colin Montgomerie (8/8)2,794,223
2004 Ernie Els (2/2)4,061,905
2003 Ernie Els (1/2)2,975,374
2002 Retief Goosen (2/2)2,360,128
2001 Retief Goosen (1/2)2,862,806
2000 Lee Westwood (1/3)3,125,147
1999 Colin Montgomerie (7/8)1,822,880
YearOrder of Merit leaderEarnings (£)
1998 Colin Montgomerie (6/8)993,077
1997 Colin Montgomerie (5/8)798,948
1996 Colin Montgomerie (4/8)875,146
1995 Colin Montgomerie (3/8)835,051
1994 Colin Montgomerie (2/8)762,720
1993 Colin Montgomerie (1/8)613,683
1992 Nick Faldo (2/2)708,522
1991 Seve Ballesteros (6/6)545,354
1990 Ian Woosnam (2/2)574,166
1989 Ronan Rafferty400,311
1988 Seve Ballesteros (5/6)451,560
1987 Ian Woosnam (1/2)253,717
1986 Seve Ballesteros (4/6)242,209
1985 Sandy Lyle (3/3)162,553
1984 Bernhard Langer (2/2)139,344
YearOfficial Money List leaderEarnings (£)
1983 Nick Faldo (1/2)119,416
1982 Greg Norman66,406
1981 Bernhard Langer (1/2)81,036
1980 Sandy Lyle (2/3)66,060
YearOrder of Merit leaderEarnings (£)
1979 Sandy Lyle (1/3)49,233
1978 Seve Ballesteros (3/6)54,348
1977 Seve Ballesteros (2/6)46,436
1976 Seve Ballesteros (1/6)39,504
1975 Dale Hayes20,508

Before 1975 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]

YearOrder of Merit leader
1974 Peter Oosterhuis (4/4)
1973 Peter Oosterhuis (3/4)
1972 Peter Oosterhuis (2/4)
1971 Peter Oosterhuis (1/4)
1970 Neil Coles (2/2)
1969 Bernard Gallacher
1968 Brian Huggett
1967 Malcolm Gregson
1966 Peter Alliss (2/2)
1965 Bernard Hunt (3/3)
1964 Peter Alliss (1/2)
1963 Neil Coles (1/2)
1962 Christy O'Connor Snr (2/2)
1961 Christy O'Connor Snr (1/2)
1960 Bernard Hunt (2/3)
1959 Dai Rees (2/2)
1958 Bernard Hunt (1/3)
1957 Eric Brown
1956 Harry Weetman (2/2)
1955 Dai Rees (1/2)
1954 Bobby Locke (3/3)
1953 Flory Van Donck
1952 Harry Weetman (1/2)
1951 John Panton
1950 Bobby Locke (2/3)
1949 Charlie Ward (2/2)
1948 Charlie Ward (1/2)
1947 Norman Von Nida
1946 Bobby Locke (1/3)
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
3 Peter Oosterhuis 4 1971 1974
T4 Rory McIlroy 3 2012 2015
Lee Westwood 3 2020 2009
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

References
  1. "Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy". The Times. 10 September 1937. p. 5.
  2. "Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy". The Times. 13 September 1937. p. 6.
  3. "Harry Vardon Memorial Trophy – C A Whitcombe's fine average". The Times. 1 October 1937. p. 5.
  4. "Golf – The Harry Vardon Trophy". The Times. 13 January 1938. p. 6.
  5. "The "Vardon" Trophy". The Times. 20 August 1938. p. 3.
  6. "The Harry Vardon Trophy". The Times. 19 August 1939. p. 5.
  7. "The Harry Vardon Trophy – final placings". The Times. 2 September 1939. p. 3.
  8. "Golf – Locke wins Harry Vardon Trophy". The Times. 20 September 1946. p. 8.
  9. "Harry Vardon Trophy – Von Nida's success". The Times. 9 September 1947. p. 2.
  10. "Golf – Harry Vardon Trophy". The Times. 15 September 1948. p. 2.
  11. "Golf - Oosterhuis heads merit list". The Times. 6 November 1971. p. 15.
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