The golf community is still celebrating Rory McIlroy`s significant Masters win from almost three weeks ago, but surprisingly, the 2025 PGA Tour FedEx Cup season has already reached its midpoint.
The second half of the season commences this week with the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament, starting Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
Although top-ranked golfers Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele faced injury setbacks, the first half of the season featured many unexpected outcomes and new winners, notably two pairs who claimed their first victories at the recent Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Looking ahead, the remaining 17 tournaments include three more major championships, culminating in what promises to be an unforgettable Ryder Cup event held at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28.
Let`s review the key highlights from the first half of the 2025 season:
Midseason Player of the Year
The clear choice is Rory McIlroy. Besides securing his first green jacket at Augusta National, becoming the sixth player in the Masters era to achieve the career Grand Slam, he also triumphed in highly competitive tournaments like the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Feb 2) and The Players Championship (March 17).
McIlroy currently leads the tour with a remarkable scoring average (69.2) and holds a significant lead in Strokes Gained: Total (2.319), nearly half a stroke better than his closest competitor. His 2,463 points give him a lead of almost 800 points in the FedEx Cup standings.
The five-time major winner appears to be just hitting his stride, particularly with upcoming events. He has a strong track record at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, site of the PGA Championship (May 15-18), having won the Wells Fargo Championship there four times and holding course records of 61 and 62. He will also compete in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland (July 17-20).
Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion at Royal Portrush, commented on the upcoming event there, saying, “Returning to Portrush will be incredible. With Rory going back as the Masters champion, it takes some pressure off me again, which I`m quite pleased about. It`s set to be a fantastic tournament.”
Other notable players considered for this honor include Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Russell Henley, and Ludvig Åberg.
Midseason Rookie of the Year
Karl Vilips, an Australian who relocated to the U.S. at age 11, made an immediate impact, winning the Puerto Rico Open by three strokes on March 9 in just his fourth PGA Tour appearance. The former Stanford standout established a new 72-hole scoring record for the event, finishing at 26-under 262 at Grand Reserve Golf Club. His performance included an opening round 66 and a final round 64.
Vilips described the win as “a dream come true for me and my dad. We`ve been working towards this for a long time. This is what we dreamed of when I was a kid. It`s pretty surreal.”
Due to a back injury (bulging disc), Vilips began his season later than planned but quickly found success. Following three consecutive missed cuts and a T54 at the RBC Heritage, he partnered with Michael Thorbjornsen to finish tied for fourth at the recent Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event.
The 23-year-old Vilips also notably became the first brand ambassador for Tiger Woods` new Sun Day Red apparel line in February. The 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year grew up in Australia idolizing Woods.
Vilips stated, “He`s the reason I got into this sport, who motivated me to become who I am today. It`s the mentality he applied to everything he did.”
Other candidates considered include Aldrich Potgieter, Rasmus Højgaard, Isaiah Salinda, and Danny Walker.
Midseason Comeback Player of the Year
Bud Cauley made his return to the PGA Tour in February 2024, having been absent for over three years due to severe injuries sustained in a serious car accident. As a passenger in a single-car crash near the 2018 Memorial Tournament, Cauley suffered multiple injuries, including six broken ribs, a collapsed right lung, and a fractured left leg.
Following the accident, Cauley initially returned for two years but struggled with persistent pain from a plate surgically inserted in his chest. Further surgeries and infections eventually forced him off the tour for three entire seasons.
Upon his 2024 return, Cauley missed the cut in seven of 17 starts, with a highlight being a tie for fifth place at the Sanderson Farms Championship last fall.
This season marks a significant return to form for Cauley, achieving four top-25 finishes and three top-10s in nine starts. His T6 finish at The Players Championship was particularly notable; his friend and former Alabama teammate Justin Thomas humorously remarked he would do “really, really weird things for Bud to win.” This strong performance was crucial in helping Cauley secure his PGA Tour card.
Currently ranked 37th in the FedEx Cup standings with 553 points, Cauley also posted strong results with a tie for fourth at the Valspar Championship and a tie for fifth at the Valero Texas Open.
Reflecting on his return at the Valspar Championship, Cauley commented, “When I`m out there, I`m not thinking about anything that`s happened in my past, just trying to play as well as I can. Yeah, when I`m out there it`s like nothing ever happened.”
Other players considered for this award include Michael Kim, Daniel Berger, and Viktor Hovland.
Midseason Breakout Player of the Year
Andrew Novak`s path on the PGA Tour has been one of consistent effort but also frustration. He finished 156th in the 2021-22 FedEx Cup standings, requiring him to return to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship to regain his tour card. His subsequent finishes were 105th in 2023 and 86th in 2024.
However, this season marks a significant breakthrough for the 30-year-old, showcasing the best golf of his career. He achieved a solo third-place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and tied for 13th in two high-profile signature events: the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational.
Following a less impactful Florida swing, Novak rebounded strongly with a tie for third at the Valero Texas Open and narrowly lost a playoff to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage. Most recently, Novak, alongside Ben Griffin, secured his first career PGA Tour win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event. This victory came in Novak`s 100th start on tour.
Novak`s impressive season places him sixth in the FedEx Cup standings with 1,380 points and ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup team rankings with 5,587.6 points.
Novak shared his perspective on his near-wins: “I think I`ve managed fairly well to avoid getting overly frustrated with the close calls. My approach is to take as many positives as possible from each experience, aiming to put myself in contention frequently. I want to improve each time I`m in that situation, become more comfortable, and have things I can analyze and refine.”
He added, “Yes, it`s frustrating, but it`s also reassuring to head into a tournament knowing your game is in good shape.”
Other players considered for breakout performance include Michael Kim, Ben Griffin, Joe Highsmith, Jacob Bridgeman, Brian Campbell, and Ryan Gerard.
Most Surprising Stat
The most surprising statistic is arguably zero – the number of wins Scottie Scheffler has recorded in his eight starts this season, especially after winning nine times globally in 2024.
This isn`t to say Scheffler has performed poorly since his return in early February after recovering from a right-hand injury sustained while cooking on Christmas. He`s finished in the top 25 in all his starts, including a tie for third at the Genesis Invitational and a tie for second at the Texas Children`s Houston Open. He also placed solo fourth at the Masters, aiming for consecutive green jackets.
However, even Scheffler acknowledges his game hasn`t been quite at its peak, specifically noting he hasn`t been making the crucial putts that were key to his numerous wins in 2024. Despite this, his statistics remain strong: he`s second on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (1.911) and Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (1.627), and fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach (.942). By any standard, these are far from poor numbers.
Best Victory
The Masters, the season`s initial major, delivered exceptional drama. The final round featured a compelling matchup between Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. The back nine at Augusta National on Sunday provided intense moments, highlighted by McIlroy`s near-slip and Justin Rose`s impressive charge.
Justin Rose, who shot a superb 6-under 66 in the final round, sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole (72nd) to intensify pressure on McIlroy, who had seen a four-stroke lead diminish. McIlroy then missed a 5-foot par putt on the 18th, resulting in a playoff against Rose.
In the first playoff hole (again the 18th), Rose placed his approach shot within 15 feet of the hole. McIlroy`s second shot landed even closer, just 4 feet away. After Rose missed his birdie attempt, McIlroy successfully converted his putt to win his first green jacket on his eleventh attempt.
After the win, McIlroy stated, “This is my 17th time playing here, and I began to doubt if my moment would ever come. I believe for the past 10 years, coming here with the pressure of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and striving for that, yes, I`m now wondering what the primary topic of conversation will be heading into next year`s Masters.”
Best Round
Jake Knapp delivered a memorable performance at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, shooting a bogey-free 59 in the opening round – the 15th sub-60 score in PGA Tour history. His round featured 12 birdies and six pars.
Best Shot
Following a double-bogey on the 14th hole during the Masters final round, Rory McIlroy recovered on the 15th with what was described as the `shot of a lifetime,` leading to a crucial birdie.
Best Putt
Two-time major winner Justin Thomas ended a victory drought lasting nearly three years, marking his return to the top by sinking a 20-foot birdie putt to win a playoff at the RBC Heritage on April 20.
Best Drive
Rookie Aldrich Potgieter currently leads the tour in driving distance with an average of 324.1 yards off the tee, highlighted by a remarkable 374-yard drive at the Mexico Open.
Worst Drive
During the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the 20-year-old South African Aldrich Potgieter demonstrated that even top players can hit a poor shot, showing a moment relatable to amateur golfers.
Best Attitude
Joel Dahmen displayed remarkable composure and a positive attitude despite a tough finish at the Corales Puntacana Championship on April 20 in Puerto Rico. After making three consecutive bogeys and missing a short 2-foot putt on the 17th, he lost to Garrick Higgo by just one stroke.
Best Punt
Patton Kizzire showed his frustration after missing a relatively short 5-foot putt for par during the opening round of the Valspar Championship.
Best Save
Chandler Phillips made one of the season`s most impressive saves, at one point considering entering alligator-inhabited water during the tournament in New Orleans to play a shot.
