2014 PGA Tour Player of the Year Odds: Handicapping the Field

There isn't much drama in the 2014 PGA Tour Player of the Year race. 

Last year, Tiger Woods cleaned up, winning the trophy for the 11th time in his career. He also won the PGA of America Player of the Year trophy and the Vardon Trophy, thanks to his 68.98 scoring average for the season. 

However, the Golf Writers Association of America, which has little love for Tiger Woods, named Adam Scott its player of the year in 2013 as the Australian won a major and recorded a total of four victories worldwide.

While there likely won't be a split-decision this year between the major award-giving bodies, and the PGA Tour Player of the Year award seems to be a foregone conclusion, stranger things have happened in the world of professional golf. 

What are Rory McIlroy's chances of capturing Player of the Year and who else has a prayer of getting the honor?

Click through to see our odds.

Bubba Watson

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Odds: 199-1

Final FedEx Cup standing: 5

Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR): 7 (28 end of 2013)

Best of 2013-2014

The first entry on our list, Bubba Watson has about a .5 percent chance of winning the PGA Tour Player of the Year. Even though Watson won the Masters and the difficult Northern Trust Open, he'll surely be beaten out by a certain Ulsterman who won two majors this year. 

In 21 starts on the PGA Tour, Watson made 18 cuts. In addition to the two wins, he totaled three second-place finishes and a third-place finish.

While some of his on-course antics made headlines this year, the 2013-2014 season was a rebound campaign for the long-hitting lefty. And at 35, Watson has five to 10 more years of good golf in him.

Jimmy Walker

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Odds: 199-1

Final FedEx Cup standing: 7

OWGR: 19 (47 end of 2013)

Best of 2013-2014

Jimmy Walker may be a long shot to win Player of the Year, but he's a shoo-in for "breakout performer."

Walker, who turned pro in 2001, had never won on the PGA Tour prior to the start of the season. That all changed at the first event of this wraparound campaign when the Oklahama native shot 62, 66 on the weekend to win the Frys.com Open. 

Walker won again at the Sony Open in Hawaii and again two weeks later at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. On the season, he made 23 of 27 cuts with a total of 10 top-10 finishes, including the Masters, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. 

Martin Kaymer

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Odds: 99-1

Final FedEx Cup standing: 16

OWGR: 12 (39 end 2013)

Best of 2013-2014

Martin Kaymer is assuredly the Comeback Player of the Year. After failing to win on the PGA Tour since the 2010 PGA Championship, Kaymer captured The Players Championship in thrilling fashion. A month later, he won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst by an incredible eight strokes.

The German made 15 of 19 cuts on Tour this year and totaled four top-10 finishes. Still, even with a major win and victory at the "fifth major," Kaymer has little chance of capturing Player of the Year.  

Billy Horschel

John Amis/Associated Press

Odds: 99-1

Final FedEx Cup standing: 1

OWGR: 14 (41 end 2013)

Best of 2013-2014

FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel will get a look for Player of the Year given our collective short memories. Although Martin Kaymer won a major, Horschel's torrid pace at the end of the year is fresh in the collective golfing mind. 

After nearly winning the Deutsche Bank Championship, the University of Florida alum proceeded to capture the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. In doing so, he secured the $10 million first-place FedEx Cup prize. 

Prior to his remarkable playoff run, Horschel had just two top-10 finishes this season. He made 20 of 27 cuts. 

Late-season brilliance, however, won't take the trophy out of the gentleman in the next slide's hands.

Rory McIlroy

Phil Long/Associated Press

Odds: 1-33

Final FedEx Cup standing: 3

OWGR: 1 (6 end 2013)

Best of 2013-2014

It's tough to bet against Rory McIlroy taking home Player of the Year honors. In fact, we're giving him a 97 percent chance of winning Player of the Year. 

McIlroy won three-straight events on the PGA Tour, including the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. Although he didn't win a playoff event, he did tie for second at the Tour Championship and didn't finish outside the top 25 in any of the four tournaments.

Actually, McIlroy didn't finish outside the top 25 in a tournament all year: a feat that only Tiger Woods (2000) has accomplished in recent decades. 

There can be little doubt: Rory McIlroy is the PGA Tour Player of the Year.