Thirty-eight years ago, Seve Ballesteros set the European golf standard with six Order of Merit titles. Colin Montgomerie later shattered that with eight. Now Rory McIlroy is coming for both their legacies. The debate intensified during a November 26, 2025, Golf Channel podcast . Hosts Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner made a compelling case. Despite Scottie Scheffler ‘s statistical dominance, McIlroy deserves the Golf Writers Association of America Player of the Year award.

“Statistically, Scottie Scheffler was decisively the best player. But if you’re looking from a personal satisfaction way of thinking or if you’re looking at it from a historic or a legendary performance, that was Rory McIlroy’s 2025,” Lavner said.

The numbers tell one story. Scheffler remained World No. 1 all

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