Padraig Harrington has become only the third player to win the Golf Writers' Trophy for a second year in succession.
The last was Peter Oosterhuis in 1973-74 and the first Tony Jacklin for his Open and US Open double in 1969 and 1970.
"It just shows how rare it is to peak two years running," said Harrington, who at Royal Birkdale in July made the first successful defence of The Open by a European for 102 years, and then three weeks later became the first since 1930 to win the USPGA title.
"To have one great year and win a major is fantastic, but to follow it up by winning another two majors this year was beyond anything you could have hoped for.
"What is so satisfying is that in years to come people will look at the trophy and remember your achievements, just as you look at Tony Jacklin's name twice and recall his majors or Peter Oosterhuis and his Order of Merit wins.
"There will be a time I can sit back and enjoy it all, but this is not that time.
"I have really appreciated all the accolades that I have received, especially at this time of year, but I am already back in work mode. I am back in the gym and I had my coach over last week."
Second in the poll of members of the Association of Golf Writers was Order of Merit winner Robert Karlsson and third came his fellow Swede Annika Sorenstam, who won four times in her final season before going into retirement.
Harrington has already been named the European Tour's Golfer of the Year as well as collecting the Shot of the Year award for his five-wood to three feet at the 71st hole of The Open.
"In each of my three major wins something happened that I could not have bargained for," he explained.
"At Carnoustie it was my son running onto the green on the 72nd hole and taking my mind off what had just happened (he had double-bogeyed the 18th).
"At Birkdale it was the wrist injury taking the stress out of defending my title, while at the USPGA I got dehydrated, but the rain delay on the Saturday gave me a chance to recover.
"Expectations for next year are going to be higher than ever and that is something I have to manage. In the past I never believed the expectations people had for me and my way of managing that was to underplay them.
"Yet when you become a major champion you put yourself under pressure to play to a higher standard. It was something I struggled with in the first half of the year.
"Next year there is going to be even more attention at The Masters and with the 'Paddy Slam'. But what if someone else has the week of their life?
"As long as I stick to the same processes and keep getting myself into contention I am happy to see how it works out."
Harrington is also the American golf writers' Player of the Year, ending a streak of three in a row for Tiger Woods.
The world number one collected his 14th major at the US Open, but has not played since because of knee surgery. Harrington received 184 votes to 58 for Woods and five for Vijay Singh.
Lorena Ochoa topped the women's award with 232 votes to Paula Creamer's 13 and Jay Haas, also winning for the third year running, took the senior award with 115 votes to 79 for Bernhard Langer.
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