As the golf world continues to discuss Rory McIlroy’s historic victory at the Masters just a few weeks ago, it feels remarkable that the PGA Tour has already reached the midpoint of its 2025 FedEx Cup season.
The tour’s second half officially begins this week with the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament, which is scheduled to tee off Thursday at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas.
Although injuries temporarily affected the performance of the world`s top two golfers, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, the first half of the season provided plenty of excitement with several surprises and first-time winners, including two pairs who claimed victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last week.
Looking ahead, the remaining schedule features three significant major championships and will conclude with what is expected to be a memorable Ryder Cup, held at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28.
Here’s an overview of the highlights from the initial half of the 2025 season:
Midseason Player of the Year
It’s difficult to argue for anyone other than Rory McIlroy. He not only achieved a career Grand Slam by winning the green jacket at Augusta National, becoming the sixth golfer in the Masters era to do so, but he also secured wins against strong fields at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on February 2 and The Players Championship on April 13.
McIlroy leads the tour in scoring average (69.2) and demonstrates superior performance in strokes gained: total (2.319), nearly half a stroke better than any other player. With 2,463 points, he holds a substantial lead of almost 800 points in the FedEx Cup standings.
His season could continue to improve, especially given his history at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, the site for the PGA Championship (May 15-18). McIlroy has won the Wells Fargo Championship there four times and holds course records with rounds of 61 and 62. Additionally, he will return home to Northern Ireland for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush (July 17-20).
Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open Champion at Portrush, commented on the upcoming event: “Going back to Portrush is going to be incredible. Rory going back as the Masters champion now is going to take a little bit of heat off me again, so I`m pretty happy with that. It`s going to be a great tournament.”
Others considered: Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler, Russell Henley, Ludvig Åberg
Midseason Rookie of the Year
Karl Vilips, who moved to the U.S. at age 11, quickly made his mark by winning the Puerto Rico Open by three strokes on March 9 in just his fourth PGA Tour start. The former Stanford standout set the 72-hole scoring record for the event at 26-under 262 at Grand Reserve Golf Club, opening with a 66 and closing with a 64.
Vilips described the win as surreal: “`Dream come true for me and my dad. Going at it for a long time. This is what we dreamed of when I was a kid. It`s pretty surreal.”
Despite a late start to the season due to a bulging disc in his back, Vilips didn`t take long to find the winner`s circle. After missing the cut in his first three starts and a tie for 54th, he paired with Michael Thorbjornsen to tie for fourth in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
The 23-year-old also became the first ambassador for Tiger Woods` Sun Day Red apparel line in February, having idolized Woods since his childhood in Australia.
“He`s who got me into this sport, who motivated me to be who I am today,” Vilips explained. “The mentality he brought to everything that he does.”
Others considered: Aldrich Potgieter, Rasmus Højgaard, Isaiah Salinda, Danny Walker
Midseason Comeback Player of the Year
Bud Cauley made his return to the PGA Tour in February 2024 after a hiatus of more than three years, caused by severe injuries from a car accident in 2018. The crash, where he was a passenger, resulted in six broken ribs, a collapsed right lung, and a fractured left leg.
Cauley attempted to return to the tour for two years following the wreck but was continuously bothered by rib pain from a plate inserted in his chest. This led to additional surgeries and infections, keeping him sidelined for three full seasons.
In 2024, his return saw him miss seven cuts in 17 starts, with a tie for fifth at the Sanderson Farms Championship being a notable result. This year, however, Cauley has shown significant progress, achieving four top-25 finishes and three top-10s in nine starts.
His tie for sixth at The Players Championship was particularly impactful, helping him secure his PGA Tour card. His former college teammate and close friend, Justin Thomas, publicly expressed his strong desire for Cauley`s success. Cauley, currently 37th in the FedEx Cup standings, also tied for fourth at the Valspar Championship and fifth at the Valero Texas Open.
Speaking about his performance at the Valspar Championship, Cauley stated, “`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.”
Others considered: Michael Kim, Daniel Berger, Viktor Hovland
Midseason Breakout Player of the Year
Andrew Novak has steadily, albeit sometimes frustratingly, climbed the ranks on the PGA Tour. His FedEx Cup rankings reflect this journey: 156th in 2021-22 (requiring a return to the Korn Ferry Tour Championship), 105th in 2023, and 86th in 2024. However, the current season marks the best golf of his career.
The 30-year-old began 2025 impressively, finishing solo third at the Farmers Insurance Open in January and tying for 13th in two prestigious signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational.
Following a quieter period, Novak tied for third at the Valero Texas Open and was defeated by Justin Thomas in a playoff at the RBC Heritage. Most recently, he and Ben Griffin earned their first PGA Tour victory together in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event, which coincidentally marked Novak`s 100th tour start.
Novak is currently sixth in the FedEx Cup standings and ranks ninth in the U.S. Ryder Cup team standings.
Reflecting on his recent success and close calls, Novak shared, “`I think I`ve done a pretty good job not getting overly frustrated with the close shaves. I`ve been trying to take as many positives from each as I can because the idea is I can put myself in that position as many times as I`m able to. I want to get better each time I`m in that position. I want to be more comfortable. I want to have things that I can look back on and improve on. Yeah, it`s frustrating, but it`s also nice going into a tournament knowing you`re playing well.”
Others considered: Michael Kim, Ben Griffin, Joe Highsmith, Jacob Bridgeman, Brian Campbell, Ryan Gerard
Most Surprising Stat
Zero. That is the number of victories Scottie Scheffler, one of the world`s top players who won nine times globally in 2024, has achieved in his eight tour starts this season.
It`s not due to poor play; since returning from a hand injury suffered around Christmas, Scheffler has consistently finished in the top 25. His results include a tie for third at the Genesis Invitational and a second-place finish at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. He also finished solo fourth at the Masters while attempting to win consecutive green jackets.
Even Scheffler acknowledges his game hasn’t been quite as sharp, particularly his putting, which was a strength last year. Despite this, his stats remain impressive: he is second on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total (1.911), second in tee to green (1.627), and fourth in approach (.942). These are strong numbers, even if wins haven`t materialized.
Best Victory
The Masters, the season`s first major, delivered everything golf fans could desire. The final round featured a highly anticipated battle, initially centered around Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau, but ultimately providing high drama on the back nine at Augusta National thanks to McIlroy`s late-round challenges and Justin Rose`s remarkable comeback effort.
Rose, who carded a 6-under 66 in the final round, sank a dramatic 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole, applying significant pressure on McIlroy, who had seen a four-stroke lead diminish. McIlroy then missed a 5-foot par putt on the 18th, forcing a playoff with Rose.
On the first playoff hole (the 18th), Rose’s approach shot landed 15 feet from the pin, while McIlroy placed his within 4 feet. Rose missed his birdie putt, and McIlroy successfully converted his to claim his first green jacket in his 11th attempt at the Masters.
McIlroy commented after his win: “`This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time. I think the last 10 years coming here with the burden of the Grand Slam on my shoulders and trying to achieve that, yeah, I`m sort of wondering what we`re all going to talk about going into next year`s Masters.”
Best Round
Jake Knapp achieved a rare feat by carding the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history. He shot a bogey-free 59, including 12 birdies and six pars, during the opening round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Best Shot
Following a double-bogey on the 14th hole in the final round of the Masters, Rory McIlroy responded with what was widely called the “shot of a lifetime” on the 15th, a crucial play that led to a birdie.
Best Putt
Justin Thomas, a two-time major winner, ended a nearly three-year winless drought with a dramatic 20-foot birdie putt to clinch victory in a playoff at the RBC Heritage on April 20.
Best Drive
Rookie Aldrich Potgieter currently leads the tour in average driving distance, bombing it 324.1 yards off the tee. A prime example was his massive 374-yard drive recorded at the Mexico Open.
Worst Drive
Even the game`s longest hitters have their moments. Aldrich Potgieter, the young South African known for his power, demonstrated this by admittedly topping one of his drives during the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Best Attitude
Joel Dahmen showed remarkable composure and a positive mindset after a disappointing finish at the Corales Puntacana Championship on April 20. Despite finishing with three consecutive bogeys and missing a short putt on the 17th hole to lose by just one stroke to Garrick Higgo, he maintained his characteristic good attitude.
Best Punt
Patton Kizzire’s visible reaction after missing a 5-foot par putt during the first round of the Valspar Championship earned recognition for its demonstrative nature.
Best Save
Chandler Phillips executed one of the most memorable and daring saves of the season in New Orleans, a shot that famously involved him contemplating wading near alligator-infested water.
