European Tour Order of Merit Winners
The European Tour was founded in 1971, and the list of Order of Merit winners below goes back to that inaugural season. The Order of Merit winner receives the Harry Vardon Trophy. Until 2012, that winner was the golfer who won the most money on the European Tour. (And that money was calculated in euros (€); prior to 1999, it was calculated in British pounds.)
2022 — Rory McIlroy, 4,754
2021 — Collin Morikawa, 5856.4
2020 — Lee Westwood, 3,128
2019 — Jon Rahm, 5,898.3
2018 — Francesco Molinari, 6,041,521
2017 — Tommy Fleetwood, 5,386,955
2016 — Henrik Stenson, 5,289,506
2015 — Rory McIlroy, 4,727,253
2014 — Rory McIlroy, 7,149,503
2013 — Henrik Stenson, 4,103,796
2011 — Luke Donald, €5,323,400
2010 — Martin Kaymer, €4,461,011
2009 — Lee Westwood, €4,237,762
2008 — Robert Karlsson, €2,732,748
2007 — Justin Rose, €2,944,945
2006 — Padraid Harrington, €2,489,337
2005 — Colin Montgomerie, €2,794,223
2004 — Ernie Els, €4,061,904.80
2003 — Ernie Els, €2,975,374.43
2002 — Lee Westwood, €3,125,147
2001 — Retief Goosen, €2,862,806
2000 — Retief Goosen, €2,360,127
1999 — Colin Montgomerie, €1,822,880
1998 — Colin Montgomerie, £993,077
1997 — Colin Montgomerie, £798,947
1996 — Colin Montgomerie, £875,146
1995 — Colin Montgomerie, £835,051
1994 — Colin Montgomerie, £762,719
1993 — Colin Montgomerie, £613,682
1992 — Nick Faldo, £708,522
1991 — Seve Ballesteros, £545,353
1990 — Ian Woosnam, £574,166
1989 — Ronan Rafferty, £400,311
1988 — Seve Ballesteros, £451,559
1987 — Ian Woosnam, £253,717
1986 — Seve Ballesteros, £242,208
1985 — Sandy Lyle, £162,552
1984 — Bernhard Langer, £139,344
1983 — Nick Faldo, £119,416
1982 — Greg Norman, £66,405
1981 — Bernhard Langer, £81,036
1980 — Greg Norman, £74,828
1979 — Sandy Lyle, £49,232
1978 — Seve Ballesteros, £54,348
1977 — Seve Ballesteros, £46,435
1976 — Seve Ballesteros, £39,503
1975 — Dale Hayes, £20,507
1974 — Peter Oosterhuis, £32,127
1973 — Tony Jacklin, £24,839
1972 — Peter Oosterhuis, £18,525
1971 — Neil Coles, £10,479
Beginning in 2013, the Tour changed the Order of Merit winner to a points-based system. The points-based Order of Merit chase is known as the Race to Dubai.
(Related: European Tour career money list)
European Tour Points-Based Order of Merit Winners
2023 — Rory McIlroy, 5295 points2022 — Rory McIlroy, 4,754
2021 — Collin Morikawa, 5856.4
2020 — Lee Westwood, 3,128
2019 — Jon Rahm, 5,898.3
2018 — Francesco Molinari, 6,041,521
2017 — Tommy Fleetwood, 5,386,955
2016 — Henrik Stenson, 5,289,506
2015 — Rory McIlroy, 4,727,253
2014 — Rory McIlroy, 7,149,503
2013 — Henrik Stenson, 4,103,796
European Tour Money-Based Order of Merit Winners
2012 — Rory McIlroy, €5,519,1182011 — Luke Donald, €5,323,400
2010 — Martin Kaymer, €4,461,011
2009 — Lee Westwood, €4,237,762
2008 — Robert Karlsson, €2,732,748
2007 — Justin Rose, €2,944,945
2006 — Padraid Harrington, €2,489,337
2005 — Colin Montgomerie, €2,794,223
2004 — Ernie Els, €4,061,904.80
2003 — Ernie Els, €2,975,374.43
2002 — Lee Westwood, €3,125,147
2001 — Retief Goosen, €2,862,806
2000 — Retief Goosen, €2,360,127
1999 — Colin Montgomerie, €1,822,880
1998 — Colin Montgomerie, £993,077
1997 — Colin Montgomerie, £798,947
1996 — Colin Montgomerie, £875,146
1995 — Colin Montgomerie, £835,051
1994 — Colin Montgomerie, £762,719
1993 — Colin Montgomerie, £613,682
1992 — Nick Faldo, £708,522
1991 — Seve Ballesteros, £545,353
1990 — Ian Woosnam, £574,166
1989 — Ronan Rafferty, £400,311
1988 — Seve Ballesteros, £451,559
1987 — Ian Woosnam, £253,717
1986 — Seve Ballesteros, £242,208
1985 — Sandy Lyle, £162,552
1984 — Bernhard Langer, £139,344
1983 — Nick Faldo, £119,416
1982 — Greg Norman, £66,405
1981 — Bernhard Langer, £81,036
1980 — Greg Norman, £74,828
1979 — Sandy Lyle, £49,232
1978 — Seve Ballesteros, £54,348
1977 — Seve Ballesteros, £46,435
1976 — Seve Ballesteros, £39,503
1975 — Dale Hayes, £20,507
1974 — Peter Oosterhuis, £32,127
1973 — Tony Jacklin, £24,839
1972 — Peter Oosterhuis, £18,525
1971 — Neil Coles, £10,479
The name that jumps out above is that of Colin Montgomerie. Montgomerie led the European Tour money list eight times total, including seven years in a row (1993-99).
Seve Ballesteros was the Euro Tour money leader six times, the first in 1976 and the last in 1991.
