Jeff Maggert honored by golf media as 2015's top senior
Though his push to win the Charles Schwab Cup came up a little short, Jeff Maggert will still reap a little postseason hardware from his 2015 Champions Tour run.
The Sea Pines pro was named Tuesday as Senior Player of the Year by the Golf Writers Association of America, outpolling Schwab Cup winner Bernhard Langer on the strength of victories in two senior majors.
Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth was the GWAA's overwhelming choice as Male Player of the Year. Lydia Ko, with one major title among her five wins, edged incoming Hall of Famer Inbee Park for Female Player of the Year honors.
Maggert, who keeps a second home at Sea Pines, won the Regions Tradition in May in a playoff over Kevin Sutherland. Three months later, he captured the U.S. Senior Open with a final-day 65 that left him two shots clear of Colin Montgomerie.
"I'm flattered that the writers honored me," said Maggert, who totaled four victories in all -- one more than he captured in 25 years of PGA Tour competition. The soft-spoken Texan received 70 percent of the vote from GWAA members.
Langer won just twice in 2015, including the Senior Players Championship, but amassed nine top-three finishes in 19 Champions Tour starts.
Maggert's season was a gratifying payoff for his decision to focus on the Champions Tour in 2015, limiting himself to two PGA Tour starts -- including the RBC Heritage -- while teeing it up in 21 of 24 events on the senior circuit.
"It is hard to do both," he told the Island Packet in late summer. "When you're still competing and playing well, you don't want to wait until you're 60 to (make the switch)."
Maggert, Spieth and Ko will formally receive their awards April 6 at the GWAA's annual dinner in Augusta, Ga., the night before the Masters tees off. Maggert's hope is that Spieth will stay around long enough for his 10-year-old twins Jake and Madeline to say hello.
"He's my little guy's idol," Maggert said. "And my daughter loves him, too. Maybe they can get an autograph."
This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Jeff Maggert honored by golf media as 2015's top senior."