​Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesEntering the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Player of the Year award was wide open. Five players could realistically win the award, and it was there for the taking over the three playoff events.Scottie Scheffler looks to have put one hand on the trophy by dominating at the FedEx St Jude for his second win of the year. He’s been the most consistent performer all year, and while he hasn’t stacked up the wins as he has over previous years, he’s clearly the world’s best player.One man whose name has not been in the mix is the Masters champion, Rory McIlroy. Outside of his win at Augusta, McIlroy has not been at his best for much of the year, and hasn’t played nearly as much as we’ve become accustomed to.He was asked if he can still win the award with a win at the Tour Championship, and he gave a typically honest response.Photo by James Gilbert/PGA TOUR via Getty ImagesRory McIlroy admits that he is not the Player of the YearThis year, McIlroy has not even played enough to meet the threshold to maintain his PGA Tour membership for next season. The PGA Tour won’t suspend him, there’s no chance of that, but it goes to show how little he’s played.That said, McIlroy insisted Scheffler is the Player of the Year. Speaking before the BMW Championship, he said, “I’m not the Player of the Year. No chance. Scottie is.He continued, “Well, sorry, there are two weeks to go, but I watched him firsthand for the first two days last week, and if he keeps playing like that, if he gains nine strokes on the greens every week, we’re all F’d.”Scheffler is peaking at the right moment to make the strongest case for the Player of the Year Award. It will take someone doing something really special to take it from him now, but McIlroy has simply not done enough this season to be the man to beat the world number one.Scottie Scheffler’s 2026 compared to Rory McIlroy’s McIlroy was just paired with Scheffler at the FedEx St Jude, and the difference between them was stark. Scheffler beat McIlroy by 15 strokes over the first two days of the tournament.And while McIlroy has a major championship this season while Scheffler does not, the American has clearly had a better season than the Northern Irishman.Scheffler has two wins to McIlroy’s one, and has 12 top-fives to McIlroy’s three, and 15 top-20s to McIlroy’s nine. And that’s giving McIlroy credit for a top-five finish on the DP World Tour this year, when the Player of the Year award is a PGA Tour award.McIlroy has the biggest win, but over the course of the season Scheffler has clearly been the better performer.