Harrington Has Big Lead Player of the Year Standings

With victories the past few weeks in the British Open and PGA Championship, Ireland's Padraig Harrington has taken a commanding lead in the PGA of America's 2008 Player of the Year point standings.

Harrington also leads the Vardon Trophy race. With 44 completed rounds, he needs to record another 16 rounds to meet the required minimum of 60 rounds to win the trophy.

Should he continue his momentum, Harrington would become the first European since Nick Faldo in 1990 to win the PGA Player of the Year Award and the first-ever European to capture the Vardon Trophy, presented annually by the PGA of America since 1937 (not awarded from 1942-46 due to World War II).

Harrington has accumulated 144 total points toward earning his first Player of the Year award, based on 60 points for his two major championships, 50 bonus points for achieving that feat, 14 points for his standing on the season money list and 20 points for leading with an adjusted scoring average of 69.28.

Tiger Woods, who ended his season in June to undergo and recover from knee surgery, is second in the PGA Player of the Year standings with 80 points. Kenny Perry, a three-time winner this season, is next with 62 points, while Phil Mickelson is fourth with 56 points.

Mickelson is second in the Vardon Trophy standings with an adjusted scoring average of 69.42, based on 65 rounds. He is second on the money list with 18 points and has won two events.