Twitter goes MAD as Rory McIlroy wins PGA Player of the Year award

The PGA Tour Player of the Year award is an annual award where the Tour players themselves get to vote on who they believe deserves the Jack Nicklaus trophy at the end of the season. This year, the vote came down to four players: Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Matt Kuchar.

Although there were four players eligible for the award, everyone had it down as a two horse race between the world No.1 Koepka and the FedEx Cup champion McIlroy.

Well on Wednesday, McIlroy was sitting down with Jack Nicklaus himself when he was surprised as Nicklaus gave the Northern Irishman the news that he had won the PGA Tour Player of the Season award for the third time. Check out the fantastic moment below:

"I've got goosebumps."

No one better to surprise @McIlroyRory with the Jack Nicklaus Award than @JackNicklaus himself. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/cK28uMu8WY

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 11, 2019

McIlroy receiving the award over Koepka has caused quite the stir, with many people tweeting their astonishment that the world No.1 and this year's winner of the PGA Championship had been overlooked.

It's certainly a topic for debate, as McIlroy has had a brilliant season, with 14 top 10's in 19 starts, including a win at The Players, the RBC Canadian Open and a four-shot win at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup for a second time, although he missed the cut at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, where he was the home favourite.

Rory McIlroy caps off an insanely impressive year with a win at the Tour Championship earning a cool $15 million.

-Three wins including The Players
-Top 10 finishes in 74% of his 19 starts
-Two Top 8 finishes in majors
-Just under $23 million earned pic.twitter.com/aS2TFwiyNu

— By The Flagstick (@ByTheFlagstick) August 25, 2019

Koepka on the other hand had an extremely successful year when it comes to major championships. He successfully defended the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black, as well as being the runner up in both the Masters and the US Open, plus a T4 finish at the Open. The world No.1 also had nine top 10's in 21 events and won the WGC in Memphis where he was took on McIlroy in the final round and he also won the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges. McIlroy's best finish at a major this season was T8 at the PGA Championship.

Take a look at some of the tweets below where McIlroy's win seemed to shock the majority of the golfing world.

Rory beating @BKoepka for @PGATOUR player of the year is such recency bias bullshit. Only majors matter and Rory won zero.

— Beerahole (@beerahole) September 11, 2019

There better be paper ballots because I want a recount. https://t.co/oglrMoztpt

— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) September 11, 2019

Rory McIlroy wins PGA Tour Player of the Year. Nothing against Rory BUT no Brooks Koepka?? Top five in ALL four Majors?

— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) September 11, 2019

PGA Tour doesn't disclose vote totals on player of the year, which is weird. Rory says he asked for the final tally, too. "They're keeping a tight lip on it." Not to suggest vote totals fall under category of conduct unbecoming ...

— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405) September 11, 2019

Not McIlroy's fault, of course, and he did enjoy a fine 2019. But it is ridiculous that the PGA Tour players voted for @McIlroyRory over @BKoepka as their Player of the Year. McIlroy would swap his season with Koepka's in a heartbeat. Shouldn't be a popularity contest

— James Corrigan (@jcorrigangolf) September 11, 2019