Rory McIlroy is European Tour golfer of the year

VIRGINIA WATER, England - Rory McIlroy has been chosen as the European Tour player of the year, capping a season in which he won two majors, the Ryder Cup, and topped the money lists in Europe and the United States.

McIlroy won his maiden British Open title and a second U.S. PGA Championship.

He also won the tour's flagship event at Wentworth, and the Bridgestone Invitational, both for the first time.

McIlroy, who received the award for the second time in three years, says, ''If I had won any one of those four titles it would have been a good year,'' and that the award ''is a very nice way to round off the year.''