Golf: Rory McIlroy has been named the PGA of America's Player of the Year and winner of its Vardon Trophy for the lowest scoring average of the season.

Northern Ireland’s world number one won four times in the States during a 2012 in which he emulated Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald’s feat last year of topping the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic.

Tiger Woods was runner-up for Player of the Year, but ineligible for the Vardon Trophy because of his injury withdrawal during the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami in March.

But for that he would have finished with an average of 68.9 to McIlroy’s 68.87, but second place instead went to Jim Furyk on 69.3.

The PGA Tour has its own Player of the Year award, members having until November 30 to vote, and McIlroy is expected to be a runaway winner of that.