If you're asking this author, the answer is yes. More than anything, Steve O'Dwyer fell victim to a formula that lacks common sense. O'Dwyer had more wins, more final tables, and far more earnings than the player who won the title, Mike "Timex" McDonald.
Following the completion of the 2016 PokerStars and Monte-Carlo® Casino EPT Grand Final, the 12th season of the European Poker Tour had come to an end. With that end came the completion of the EPT Player of the Year race, and it was McDonald narrowly edging out O'Dwyer by less than one point.