Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer of Germany were named joint winners of the 2010 European Tour Golfer of the Year award on Tuesday.
The award will be shared for the first time in its 26-year history after the two Ryder Cup stars tied in the voting by a judging panel of writers and commentators.
McDowell won the U.S. Open to claim his first major title and holed the putt to secure Europe's Ryder Cup win over the United States at Celtic Manor in October. He climbed to No. 7 after his playoff victory over Tiger Woods at the Chevron World Challenge on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Kaymer also won his first major, the PGA, after a three-hole playoff against American Bubba Watson and beat McDowell to finish top of the money list in the ''Race to Dubai.''
Both players won four events in 2010.
''It is the icing on the cake on what has been a very special year for myself, Martin and everyone involved in European golf,'' McDowell said.
''It is an honor to share this award with a player of Martin's caliber. He is one of the best players of our generation and I am sure will enjoy many more successes in the years to come.''
Germany's Bernhard Langer, the two-time Masters champion, was the winner of the European Tour's inaugural end-of-year award and No. 3-ranked Kaymer is proud to match his countryman's achievement.
''I am always trying to follow in Bernhard Langer's footsteps and to see that I have now won an award that he was the first to win back in 1985 is very satisfying indeed,'' Kaymer said. ''But he is still many steps ahead of me.''
It was a groundbreaking year for members of the European Tour.
South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen became Open champion at St. Andrews, England's Lee Westwood displaced Woods as No. 1 and Ian Poulter, Ernie Els and Francesco Molinari all won World Golf Championship events.
