As great as Jason Day was, Jordan Spieth ended debate over player of the year as he pushed his on-course season earnings over $US22 million ($A31.3 million) and returned to world No.1 with victory at the Tour Championship.
The 22-year-old Texan capped off one of the great seasons with an $US11.4 million ($A16.2 million) payday when he shot a closing one-under-69 to win the US PGA Tour finale by four shots at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Sunday.
With his fifth win of the year, including the Masters and US Open, Spieth broke the US tour money record by adding $1.4 million for the East Lake win, taking him to $US12,030,465 for the season.
While it doesn't count as 'official' money, he will also bank the FedEx Cup bonus of $US10 million ($A14.23 million).
"This year is unreal," said Spieth. "I don't know how we sit down and figure out how to improve on it, but we're going to try and do that."
After Spieth missed the first two cuts in the four-event playoff series and finished tied 13th in week three, many were putting fellow five-time winner Day up for US PGA Tour player of the year discussion.
It is the first time since 1973 two players have won five times in a year, but on the back of his two major championship titles to Day's one (US PGA Championship) and the FedEx series win Spieth virtually guaranteed the award will be his.
He came strong when it mattered.
Spieth, who also won the US Tour's Valspar Championship and John Deere Classic, admitted he was stung into action by his back-to-back missed cuts in the first two playoffs events.
"I got mad," said Spieth.
"I didn't have a great playoffs, but I put a lot into this week. Mentally I stayed in it, and boy, that putter sure paid off."
"That's what this season did - it proved that we can maintain that high level throughout the year, even when you have a couple weeks get off, you can get it back quickly.
"I know that we can play at this level, even when we don't have our best stuff and it gives me a lot of confidence going forward for the next 20 years."
Kiwi Danny Lee (65), England's Justin Rose (66) and Stenson (72) shared second place in the Tour CHampionship at five under.
By knocking Day off as world No.1 it represents a record sixth different change at the top in six weeks with a merry-go-round between Spieth, Day and Rory McIlroy.
Spieth is due to play the Presidents Cup in two weeks and the HSBC Champions in China in early November before he defends his Australian Open crown in Sydney.
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