pga tour players of the year

PGA Tour Player of the Year award winners

The PGA Player of the Year award has been in existence since 1948. However, in 1990, the PGA Tour and PGA of America created separate Player of the Year awards, both still awarded today.

The PGA Tour Player of the Year award is voted on by PGA Tour membership which competes in at least 12 tournaments in a season. The winner of the award receives the Jack Nicklaus trophy.

The PGA of America Player of the Year award is points-based, given to the player that accumulates the most points in a season. Points are awarded as follows:

• 30 points for winning the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open or Masters
• 20 points for winning The Players Championship
• 10 points for winning all other designated PGA Tour events.
• 50-point bonus for winning two majors, 75-point bonus for winning three & 100-point bonus for winning four.
• For top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour’s official money and scoring average lists for the year, the point value is: first, 20 points, then 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.
• Any incomplete rounds in the scoring average list will result in a .10 penalty per incomplete round.

Since 1992, the PGA Tour and PGA of America Player of the Year award has gone to the same person.

Tiger Woods has the most PGA of America and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards with 11 each. Woods won five consecutive PGA of America and five PGA Tour Player of the Year awards from 1999-2003.

Winners of the PGA Tour and PGA of America Player of the Year Awards

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PGA Tour names Player of the Year, but not without whiff of controversy

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Scottie Scheffler beat out Jon Rahm for PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Jon Rahm won four times. Scottie Scheffler won just twice.

Jon Rahm won the Masters. Scottie Scheffler won the Players.

Jon Rahm played on the winning European Ryder Cup team. Scottie Scheffler, well, you know…did not.

But the PGA Tour announced Tuesday that Scheffler, not Rahm, had been named the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year by his peers.

The award is determined by a PGA Tour member vote from players who played at least 15 events last season. Scheffler earned 38 percent of the vote, beating out Rahm, Rory McIlroy and FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland; vote totals for the other finalists and turnout data were not provided by the PGA Tour .

And, yes, there’s also a certain elephant in the room: Rahm signed with LIV Golf last month and is currently suspended from the PGA Tour. He is unable to defend his title this week at the Sentry, where Scheffler accepted the award. According to the AP, the player polling was conducted from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15; Rahm announced he was leaving for LIV on Dec. 7.

Still, Scheffler is hardly undeserving of the honor, having ended the season ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking, the same place he began it after winning the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2022 . He is the first player to win the award in successive years since Tiger Woods did so from 2005-07.

Aside from winning the aforementioned Players and WM Phoneix Open, Scheffler put together one of the most statistically impressive PGA Tour seasons of all time . He won the Byron Nelson award for posting the lowest scoring average for the year, a number (68.63) which is the seventh-lowest of all time and best among anyone besides Woods. He led the Tour in eight other statistical categories.

He also finished inside the top 12 for 18 consecutive events and collected more than $21 million in official earnings, smashing his previous record from 2022 by nearly $7 million.

What makes Scottie Scheffler’s game so ridiculous? Ask Rory McIlroy

Meanwhile, Rahm started the season on a tear, winning his first two starts at the Sentry and Amex before rising to No. 1 in the world with a win at the Genesis Invitational. He then claimed his second major title by winning the Masters by three strokes.

But his play cooled off significantly as he recorded just two top-10s after April.

Cole snatches Rookie of the Year honors from Aberg

Eric Cole was named the PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year. The other finalists were Ludvig Aberg, Nico Echavarria and Vincent Norrman, all of whom claimed victories on the PGA Tour in 2023.

Cole, 35, is the second-oldest winner of the award and oldest since 39-year-old Todd Hamilton won it in 2004; he is currently older than 10 of the previous 11 Rookie of the Year winners, per PGA Tour communications manager Jack Ryan.

Why this PGA Tour Rookie of the Year nominee is playing a mini tour event this week

Cole’s season was one of consistency with him finishing No. 43 in the FedEx Cup; he also was the only rookie to advance to the BMW Championship and guarantee starts in all eight Signature Events in 2024.

He led the PGA Tour in rounds, birdies and recorded the fifth-most top-fives with six.

Still, many thought Cole, despite earning three of those top-fives over the last three events of the FedEx Cup Fall, had ceded the award to the Swedish sensation Aberg, when the latter won the season-ending RSM Classic in November.

Aberg joined the PGA Tour only in June — the first to do so by finishing No. 1 in the PGA Tour University rankings — but made an immediate splash with eight top-25s in just 11 starts as a pro in 2023. After a debut win on the DP World Tour on the eve of the European Ryder Cup captain’s pick announcements, Aberg made Luke Donald’s team and earned two points at Marco Simone in the home win for Europe.

‘The next f—ing Tiger Woods?’ Ludvig Aberg dominates RSM Classic for win 1

He then backed up the performance abroad with a playoff loss at the Sanderson Farms Championship before dominating at Sea Island to win the RSM by four shots on the strength of back-to-back weekend 61s.

While Aberg went from college immediately to the PGA Tour, Cole had a different journey. It took him seven years after turning pro in 2009 to finally earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour. Even still, he bounced on and off the Korn Ferry, racking up quite the resume on mini-tours , while also giving lessons.

Cole earned his PGA Tour card finally in 2022 and never looked back, competing in a whopping 37 events.

He follows in the footsteps of his mother, Laura Baugh , who was the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1973.

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Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected] .

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Scheffler wins player vote as PGA Tour player of the year over Rahm

FILE - Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, watches his shot from the second tee during the final round of the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour at the Albany Golf Club, in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. Scheffler has been voted PGA Tour player of the year over Masters champion Jon Rahm, a player vote that raises questions of whether Rahm was penalized for defecting to LIV Golf. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

FILE - FILE - Jon Rahm, of Spain, holds up the trophy after winning the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Augusta, Ga. Rahm is expected to compete in the PGA Championship next week at Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, N.Y. Rahm has been saying that he plays golf for history and for legacy, not for money. And now he’s playing for the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League in a shocking departure from the PGA Tour.(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Scottie Scheffler, of the United States, poses with the Hero World Challenge PGA Tour trophy as Tiger Woods smiles in the background, at the Albany Golf Club in New Providence, Bahamas, Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In a photo provided by LIV Golf, Jon Rahm, poses for a photo Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in New York. Masters champion Rahm bolted for Saudi-funded LIV Golf on Thursday for what’s believed to be more money than the PGA Tour’s entire prize fund, a stunning blow that deepens the divide in golf as the two sides were negotiating a commercial deal. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf via AP)

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KAPALUA, Hawaii. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has been voted PGA Tour player of the year over Masters champion Jon Rahm, a player vote that raises questions of whether Rahm was penalized for defecting to LIV Golf.

Scheffler is the first back-to-back winner since Tiger Woods in 2006-07. The world’s No. 1 player had the best statistical season since Woods by leading the tour in all the important categories from the tee to the green, along with scoring.

He had the seventh-lowest adjust scoring average (68.63) in PGA Tour history — the top six belong to Woods — and finished out of the top 10 only six times in 23 tournaments from a season that began in September 2022. At one point, Scheffler went 18 consecutive starts where his worst finish was 12th.

“Anything that you receive voted on by your peers is very special to me and being able to go home with this trophy two years in a row now is very special,” Scheffler said. “I think the body of work I put in last year ... I was very proud of that consistency.”

What he lacked, compared with Rahm, was winning.

Scheffler won The Players Championship and the Phoenix Open. Rahm, however, won four times, including his second major when he captured the Masters.

The PGA Tour said voting took place from Dec. 1 through Dec. 15. Rahm, who for 18 months had been an ardent supporter of the tour, donned a LIV letterman’s jacket and announced he was joining the Saudi-funded rival league on Dec. 7.

The tour said Scheffler received 38% of the vote in what was believed to be a tight race. It did not disclose the voting percentage received by Rahm, FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland, U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark or Rory McIlroy.

The tour previously did not release any vote totals for the award. Now it withholds what percentage of players voted.

In another close race, Eric Cole was voted rookie of the year over Ludvig Aberg of Sweden. The award comes 50 years after Cole’s mother, Laura Baugh, was the LPGA rookie of the year. Cole was the only player to reach the second round of the FedEx Cup playoffs. A longtime player in golf’s minor leagues, he made $5 million in his first year on tour.

Scheffler had hinted in the Bahamas last month that his vote might go toward Rahm because while consistency is key, “we play this game to win.”

Asked if he was surprised to win, Scheffler said it all depended on what mattered the most to players who voted.

“I guess this year they really kind of appreciated my consistency,” Scheffler said. “The way I played the entire year — I think I maybe only had one or two starts that I would categorize as not great, but other than that I had a lot of starts where I just played really solid golf. And to do that for an entire season out here I think is very difficult.”

Cole also was a steady hand, especially for someone who had played only two regular PGA Tour events before finally getting a card. At age 35, he is the oldest rookie of the year since Todd Hamilton in 2004.

Cole had two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes, and he played well enough to move into the top 50 in the world ranking to earn a spot in the Masters.

Aberg didn’t turn pro until June. He won the season-ending RSM Classic by tying the PGA Tour scoring record for 72 holes at 253. He previously won on the European tour and went from leaving Texas Tech in June to playing in the Ryder Cup for Europe in September.

Aberg played 11 times since turning pro. Cole likely was rewarded for the full body of his rookie year, having played 37 times in a 15-month season.

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Scheffler voted PGA Tour Player of the Year again

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Scottie Scheffler: World No 1 named PGA Tour Player of the Year for second consecutive season

Scottie Scheffler has been voted PGA Tour player of the year over Masters champion Jon Rahm; a new season of golf begins on Thursday with The Sentry - live on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm on Thursday

Wednesday 3 January 2024 19:54, UK

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Scottie Scheffler has been named PGA Tour Player of the Year as he won the Jack Nicklaus Award for a second consecutive year.

Scheffler is the first player to win Player of the Year honours in back-to-back seasons since Tiger Woods won the award in three straight years from 2005-2007.

The 27-year-old won twice during the 2022-23 season, successfully defending his title at the WM Phoenix Open and winning The Players Championship by five strokes.

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In 23 starts, Scheffler recorded 13 top-fives and 17 top-10s, both high marks for any player in a single season on the tour since 2005.

He also set the PGA Tour record for most Official Money earned in a single season at $21,014,342, breaking his own record set last season ($14,046,910).

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The Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards are determined by a member vote, with PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 official FedExCup events during the 2022-23 season eligible to vote.

Scheffler received 38 per cent of the vote for the Jack Nicklaus Award and was selected over four other nominees: Wyndham Clark, Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm.

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Eric Cole, the only rookie to advance to the 2023 BMW Championship, has been announced as the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, receiving the Arnold Palmer Award.

Cole recorded two runner-up finishes on the season, including the 2023 Cognizant Classic (lost in a play-off) and the 2023 Zozo Championship.

Cole received 51 per cent of the vote for the Arnold Palmer Award and was selected over three other nominees: Ludvig Åberg, Nico Echavarria and Vincent Norrman.

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The 2024 PGA Tour season begins with The Sentry from January 4-7, held on the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii - live on Sky Sports Golf with the first round starting at 6pm.

World No 1 Scheffler leads the field which includes Team Europe Ryder Cup stars Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose.

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It's Scottie, back-to-back: Players champion Scheffler again voted PGA Tour Player of the Year

Scheffler becomes the third player in five years to be voted the jack nicklaus award by his peers without having won a major championship.

Scottie Scheffler wanted to make it a runaway at The Players Championship.

And the fact that he dominated that week at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was likely in his favor when his peers on the PGA Tour voted him the Jack Nicklaus Trophy for being the Tour's Player of the Year for the second season in a row. 

"I think it's hard to say which one is better or worse," Scheffler said during a teleconference from Kapalua of his two seasons, highlighted in 2021-22 by winning his first major championship at The Masters, and 2022-23 when he won The Players, the WM Phoenix Open and finished first on the World Golf Rankings. 

"Being able to win The Masters is obviously a tournament I've dreamt about winning for a long time, so 2022 was very special,” he went on. “Then 2023, being able to go back into Phoenix and defend my title and winning The Players was another tournament I've dreamt of winning for a very long time. The consistency this year was very special, and I think I'm just really proud of how I played in 2022 and 2023." 

Scheffler had 13 top-five finishes, 17 top-10s and did not miss a cut.  

Tiger Woods was the last to win Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (he won three in a row from 2005-2007).

Scheffler values his consistency 

"I was very proud of how I played most of last year," Scheffler said. "The consistency was very special to me. I'm very appreciative that the players voted for me to have this award. To be able to win this award two years in a row is truly special. Anytime you can be mentioned in the same breath with Tiger it's very special." 

Scheffler is the third player in the last five years to be voted Player of the Year without having won a major championship. Patrick Cantlay (2020-21) and Rory McIlroy (2018-19) were the others.

Masters champion Jon Rahm, who has left the PGA Tour to play for the LIV Golf League, was voted player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America.

Scheffler didn't win after The Players Championship, but he was in the mix almost every week. He was 10th in the Masters, tied for second in the PGA and was solo third in the U.S. Open, and added a fourth place in the WGC Match Play, a tie for fourth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a third in The Memorial.

Scheffler was determined to win big at The Players 

Scheffler is especially proud of winning The Players and stepping on the gas in the process with four rounds in the 60s and a final score of 17-under 271. 

"I take a lot of pride in that from a tournament ... building up a lead and keeping it is not an easy thing to do out here," he said. 

Scheffler had a five-shot lead after the 17th hole on Sunday and told his caddie, Ted Scott, he wanted to keep it that way. 

Scheffler saved par from the right trees. 

"I looked at Teddy and I said, 'Let's win this one by five,' and I ended up hitting it in the trees," Scheffler said. "I got it back in the fairway but made the nice putt for par. That's why you saw a little bit bigger of a celebration for me because I had kind of set that mini-goal on the tee to try to finish it off the right way. Being able to win by five instead of three just has a little bit of a different ring to it."

Eric Cole wins Rookie of the Year 

Also announced on Wednesday by the Tour was Eric Cole winning the Arnold Palmer Award as Rookie of the Year. 

That came with a special kind of karma: 50 years ago, Cole's mother, Laura Baugh, was the LPGA Rookie of the Year. Cole, whose father was PGA Tour member Bobby Cole, also played with Palmer an estimated 40-50 times while growing up and then when he labored on mini-tours before getting his PGA Tour card at the age of 35.

Baugh is a teacher at The Palencia Club in St. Augustine.

"It's incredible, such a huge honor," Cole said. "I think there's a cool feeling for me winning this, it being called the Arnold Palmer Award and having a connection with Mr. Palmer growing up and being around him a little bit, and then also my mom winning the LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year exactly 50 years ago.  It just seems almost hard to believe." 

Cole bounced back from a rough start

Cole was the only rookie to reach the BMW Championship, the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs and led all rookies in points, earnings and with six top-five finishes. 

He also led the Tour with 554 birdies — 59 more than second-place Stephan Jaeger. 

Cole had to weather some challenges at the beginning of the season and missed his first four cuts. 

But he finished second at the Honda Classic after going into a playoff with Chris Kirk and capped the season off with four top-fives among his last five starts. 

"It wasn't a great start to the PGA Tour season," he said. "My first four starts I missed the cut. I had COVID in Napa and I had my clubs stolen in Vegas. I had some weird things happen, so I didn't go into any kind of panic. My parents and older pros said that if you just stick with the game that gets you there, you can have success. I kind of just kept replaying that thought in my head.” 

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Scottie Scheffler Named PGA Tour Player of the Year During ESPN’s College Football GameDay

• Author: Bob Harig

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler has been named PGA Tour player if the year for the 2021-22 season.

Scheffler, 26, won four times during the last season and has been ranked No. 1 in the world since late March, just before his win at Augusta National

He received the award on ESPN’s College Game Day show at the University of Texas, where he played on the golf team for four years.

The Tour said Scheffler received 89 percent of the votes cast by players and won over Rory McIlroy and Cam Smith.

Scheffler was the Player of the Year on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019 and won the Arnold Palmer Award as PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2020. He is the first player to win each of those three awards, doing so in the span of four seasons. The awards were established in 1990.

His $14,046,910 in official prize money set a record for a single season in PGA Tour history, a mark previously held by fellow former Texas Longhorn Jordan Spieth ($12,030,465 in 2014-15). In addition to his $5.75 million bonus for finishing No. 2 in the FedExCup standings, Scheffler received $4 million via the Comcast Business Tour Top 10 for finishing the regular season as the FedExCup leader and another $1 million for winning the season-long Aon Risk Reward Challenge. Between official money and bonus programs, Scheffler earned a total of $24,796,910 this season.

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Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy highlight PGA Tour’s 2023 Player of the Year finalists

On Monday, the PGA Tour announced the five finalists for the 2023 Player of the Year award.

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On Monday morning, the PGA Tour released the five finalists for the 2023 Player of the Year award. This title has been handed out every year since 1990, with legendary figures such as Rory McIlroy (3), Fred Couples (2) and Nick Price (2) having won multiple times in the past.

Of course, Tiger Woods lapped the field since the Jack Nicklaus Award was first presented. He won it a ridiculous 11 times, including five straight from 1999 through 2003.

This year, we could add a new name to the back-to-back winners list, with Scottie Scheffler having won the prestigious title last season.

The voting will take place between PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 official PGA Tour events in 2023, with voting closing on December 15th.

Unlike in years past, the winner will not be announced until early January at the Sentry. That’s because of the new structure of the PGA Tour Fall schedule this season.

Now let’s break down the five finalists for the 2023 PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Scottie Scheffler

Scheffler followed up his fantastic 2022 season with arguably an even more stellar one this year. Despite not winning a major, his consistency was incredible.

The 2022 Masters champion made the cut in all 23 tournament he played in this season. He defended his crown at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and later won his first Players Championship.

He then capped off his season with a dominant win at the Hero World Challenge this past weekend.

Scottie Scheffler’s incredible 2023 season: • Won WM Phoenix Open • Won THE PLAYERS • Won Hero World Challenge • Made every cut (23/23) with 17 top-10s • Recorded 18 consecutive top-12 finishes • 1st in SG: Total • 1st in SG: Tee-to-Green • 1st in SG:… pic.twitter.com/GOq1XX2ywF — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 4, 2023

Beyond that, Scheffler logged 17 top-10’s and posted the lowest scoring average per round at 68.629, earning him the Byron Nelson Award.

The 27-year-old from New Jersey finished first in nearly every statistical category, except putting. If his flat stick was even average, he like would have had one of the best seasons in history.

He is very clearly one of the favorites from this group.

Wyndham Clark

The one true surprise player to make this list is Wyndham Clark. He broke out this season on the PGA Tour, capturing his first tour win at the Wells Fargo Championship in May.

Any notion of that being a fluke was quickly put to bed a month later. Clark bested both Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler on Sunday at the U.S. Open to capture his first major championship.

How he played that final day was something to marvel at. That vaulted him up the FedEx Cup standings, where he finished third. It also earned him a spot on the American Ryder Cup team.

The other major winner on this list, Jon Rahm put together another incredibly strong campaign.

He won his second major, emerging victorious at the 2023 Masters. He led all golfers with four PGA Tour wins this season. Rahm did so in some of the biggest events, too. He won two Signature Events: Sentry Tournament of Champions, Genesis Invitational.

He had 10 top-10’s, made 18 of 20 cuts and posted the third best scoring average. On its face, Rahm should absolutely be the favorite.

But knowing the blockbuster rumors of Rahm ditching the PGA Tour for LIV circulating, that is very likely to play a part in the voting.

Viktor Hovland

Hovland is probably the hottest player on the planet right now.

He closed out the PGA Tour Championship in style, cruising past his competitors and making it look easy. Hovland carried that momentum into the Ryder Cup where he embarrassed Scheffler and Brooks Koepka to historic proportions.

The Oslo, Norway native won three times this season, including The Memorial, the BMW Championship and the aforementioned Tour Championship and first FedEx Cup.

Like Scheffler, he made the cut in all 23 events he entered and finished fourth in scoring average.

You can bet that even if he doesn’t win this award, his smile will still light up a room.

Rory McIlroy

The last guy on this list is looking for his fourth crown. McIlroy was unbelievably consistent, especially over the last few months of the season.

Rory just missed out on his fifth major a number of times, finishing solo second at the U.S. Open, tied for sixth at the Open Championship and seventh at the PGA Championship. He won the CJ Cup in South Carolina and then the DP World Tour co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open.

As solid of a season as it was for McIlroy, it likely won’t be enough though for him to take back the crown.

Who do you think should win the PGA Tour Player of the Year for 2023? Let us know in the comments below.

Kendall Capps is the Senior Editor of SB Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social media platforms.

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Jon rahm, scottie scheffler lead pga tour player of the year nominees.

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• Golf Channel Staff

Masters champion Jon Rahm and Players winner Scottie Scheffler pace this year’s nominees for PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Five players are on the ballot, with FedExCup champion Viktor Hovland, two-time winner Rory McIlroy and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark rounding out the nominees.

Rahm won a Tour-high four times, including at Augusta National, during a season that included 10 top-10 finishes. He won all of his events in the first four months of the season and finished 18 th in the FedExCup.

Scheffler didn’t record an official victory after The Players, but he earned a Tour-best 17 top-10s in 23 starts and led the Tour in scoring average (68.6).

Hovland recorded a career-best three victories this season, including in the final two events to claim the FedExCup for the first time. McIlroy and Clark each won two events, with the latter claiming his first career victory in a signature event at Quail Hollow and then following it up a month later with his breakthrough at the U.S. Open.

The Rookie of the Year race will seemingly come down to Ludvig Åberg and Eric Cole, two newcomers with varying backgrounds.

Åberg graduated from Texas Tech last summer and made an immediate impact, earning a spot on the European Ryder Cup team and then securing his first victory at the RSM Classic, in the final event of the fall. The 35-year-old Cole, meanwhile, played in 37 events and twice finished runner-up, eventually placing 43 rd in the FedExCup race.

Nico Echavvaria and Vincent Norrman, who won the Puerto Rico Open and Barracuda Championship, respectively, are also up for top rookie honors.

Voting for both awards ends on Dec. 15. The winners will be announced in early January at The Sentry, the first event of the new season.

PGA Tour Player of the Year nominees 2023: List of all golfers nominated for the award

T he PGA Tour has announced the nominees for the Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year for the year 2023. The players were selected by the Player Directors and the Player Advisory Council (PAC) members of the leading American golf Tour.

Five golfers were nominated for the 2023 Player of the Year, which is also known as the Jack Nicklaus Award. Meanwhile, four young golfers were nominated for the 2023 Rookie of the Year, which is also known as the Arnold Palmer Award. Below are their category and names:

Player of the Year

• Wyndham Clark
• Viktor Hovland
• Rory McIlroy
• Scottie Scheffler

Rookie of the Year

• Ludvig Åberg
• Nico Echavarria
• Vincent Norrman

Exploring the performance stats of each nominated golfer for the PGA Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year 2023

Let us look at some of the performance stats of the five golfers nominated for Player of the Year:

1) Wyndham Clark

The 29-year-old American golfer from Denver, Colorado has a breakthrough season on the PGA Tour. He recorded his first-ever title victory on the Tour after winning the Wells Fargo Championship. Later on, he registered his first major title win at the US Open.

Wyndham Clark recorded eight top-10 finishes this season. He ended up third in the FedExCup.

2) Viktor Hovland

The 26-year-old Norwegian golfer has been making noises on the PGA Tour for quite some time. But his 2022-23 season had been brilliant. He recorded three victories which included the Memorial Tournament, the BMW Championship, and the TOUR Championship.

Viktor Hovland is also the 2023 FedEx Cup Champion. He has recorded nine top-10 finishes this season.

3) Rory McIlroy

The 34-year-old Northern Irishman has made 18 starts this season on the PGA Tour. He has recorded 13 top-10 finishes which include two wins and two runner-up finishes this season. His victories came at the CJ CUP in South Carolina and the Genesis Scottish Open.

Rory McIlroy has finished fourth in the 2023 FedEx Cup.

4) Jon Rahm

The 29-year-old Spaniard has a sensational 2022-23 season on the PGA Tour. He made 20 starts this season and recorded 10 top-10 finishes which included four wins and two runner-up finishes.

Jon Rahm recorded his second major title win at the Masters 2023. His other victories were the Sentry, the American Express, and the Genesis Invitational.

5) Scottie Scheffler

The 27-year-old American golfer from Dallas, Texas is currently the World No. 1 ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is also the winner of the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest-scoring average this season.

Scottie Scheffler has made 23 starts this season and won three titles (one unofficial: the 2023 Hero World Challenge). His two victories were the WM Phoenix Open and THE PLAYERS Championship.

Let us look at the performance stats of the four nominees for the Rookie of the Year:

1) Ludvig Aberg

The 24-year-old Swedish golfer joined the PGA Tour after he finished No. 1 in the Tour's University Ranking. He has made 11 starts this season on the PGA Tour and could not make the cut in just one event. He recorded his first victory on the tour after he won the RSM Classic.

Ludvig Aberg has finished 53rd in the FedExCup Fall standings and was placed 12th in the scoring average.

2) Eric Cole

The 35-year-old American golfer from Tequesta, Florida had an impactful 2022-23 season on the PGA Tour. His rookie season on the Tour had 37 starts and he missed the cut in just 10 of them. He recorded seven top-10 finishes and came to winning two tournaments.

Eric Cole finished 43rd in the FedEx Cup rankings and also jumped to 41st rank on the Official World Golf Rankings, which was his career-high ranking (currently 42nd).

3) Nico Echavarria

The 29-year-old Colombian golfer from Medellin had a blistering start to his PGA Tour career. He made 31 starts in the 2022-23 season and won his first title on the tour at the Puerto Rico Open.

Nico Echavarria has finished on 120th rank on the FedExCup Fall standings. He had a scoring average of 71.588 this season.

4) Vincent Norrman

The 25-year-old Swedish golfer is another budding talent spotted on the PGA Tour. He made 29 starts in the 2022-23 season and recorded three top-10 finishes. He has also won his first-ever title on the tour after defeating Nathan Kimsey in the Barbasol Championship.

Vincent Norrman has ended up 82nd rank on the FedExCup Fall standings and has made 17 cuts this season.

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2022 PGA Tour Player of the Year: Rory McIlroy, Cameron Smith, Scottie Scheffler headline list of nominees

Two of the four major winners are represented among these nominees for the prestigious award.

The PGA Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year nominees have been announced, and the contenders are exactly who you thought they would be. Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Cam Smith headline the Player of the Year race, while Sahith Theegala, Cameron Young and Tom Kim are the Rookie of the Year candidates.

McIlroy, a three-time winner of this award, won three times on the PGA Tour this year, including a dramatic Tour Championship over Scheffler in which he pocketed $18 million for his efforts. McIlroy's other two titles were the CJ Cup in fall 2021 and the Canadian Open in summer 2022. While he won a record $28 million for his on-course play (between tournament earnings, the FedEx Cup bonus and the Comcast Business Top 10), he did not have as good of a year as either Scheffler or Smith.

It was Smith who beat McIlroy at The Open Championship in July at the Old Course with a scintillating 64 in the final round. It bookended a remarkable season for the Australian, who has since moved on from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf League. He added a Players Championship and a Tournament of Champions win to his collection this year and took home nearly $15 million in the process.

It was Scheffler, though, who had the best season of all. His four wins were all at tournaments that ranked in the top 12 in the world in strength of field in 2022 as he racked up victories at the Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and of course the Masters, where McIlroy finished runner-up and Smith finished T3.

"Scottie Scheffler is going to win the Player of the Year," said McIlroy after beating him at the Tour Championship. "There's no doubt about that. You know, it would have been fitting for him to end his breakout season with a FedEx Cup title. I think he ... deserves this maybe more than I deserve it. He played an unbelievable season. He didn't have his best stuff today, and I played well and took advantage of that.

"Scottie will have plenty more chances to win FedEx Cups. Hell of a player, hell of a competitor. Even better person. Love his family. Look, it's hard. You don't really know what to say on the 18th green because he's had such a great year, but he'll be back, and he's a great player, and I told him this certainly isn't the last time that we're going to have these battles on the golf course."

Each of the last three winners of the PGA Tour Player of the Year award have doubled as the FedEx Cup and Tour Championship winner, a streak that will likely be broken this year when PGA Tour members vote on this award. Somewhat humorously, Smith might not even be eligible to vote for the award after making his debut for LIV Golf at its Boston event last weekend. Players eligible to vote are "PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 official FedEx Cup events during the 2021-22 season."

As for the Rookie of the Year award, it's likely going to be closer than once suspected. Although Cam Young -- who himself had a flirtation period with LIV Golf -- asserted himself as the best rookie at the majors this year, Tom Kim -- who will almost certainly play for the International Team at the Presidents Cup at the end of September -- came on strong and won the Wyndham Championship to get into the FedEx Cup Playoffs at the end of the year.

Voting will remain open until Friday, Sept. 9.

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Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dies at 30

• ESPN News Services

Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial.

There were no immediate details on the circumstances of his death, only shock and grief from the PGA Tour and his management team.

"I am at a loss for words," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. "The PGA Tour is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones."

We were devastated to learn - and are heartbroken to share - that PGA TOUR player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. https://t.co/JWGJ6Tz2jy — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 25, 2024

Murray's management company, GSE Worldwide, confirmed the death.

"We will hold off on commenting until we learn further details, but our heart aches for his family, his friends and all who loved him during this very difficult time," GSE said in a statement.

Jay Green, Murray's caddie, lamented the loss of his friend in a statement to the Golf Channel.

"Grayson was the absolute best. Not only was he an incredible, thoughtful and generous boss, he was an even better friend," Green wrote.

"He truly would do anything for anyone. He has the best family, and my heart goes out to them. We will all miss him deeply."

Monahan said he first learned of Murray's death late Saturday morning and that he spoke with Murray's parents to offer condolences. They asked that the tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, continue. The tour cited illness when Murray withdrew from Friday's second round.

Monahan said grief counselors were on-site at the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour event. He also flew to Texas on Saturday.

"To be in the locker room, to see the devastation on the faces of every player that's coming in, it's really difficult to see. And really just profound," Monahan said on the CBS broadcast.

"Grayson was a remarkable player on the PGA Tour, but he was a very courageous man, as well. And I've always loved that about him, and I know that the locker room is filled with people that really will take that away when they think about Grayson."

Several players shared stories of Murray on CBS' coverage.

"It was a huge shock. My heart sank," said Webb Simpson , who learned of Murray's death shortly before teeing off Saturday. He said Murray was the first winner of his junior tournament and that they shared the same swing coach as juniors.

"I just hate it so much," Simpson said. "I'm miss him. I'm thankful he was in the place with his faith before this morning happened."

Peter Malnati played with Murray at Colonial. He offered to go on the CBS telecast and immediately broke down trying to talk about him.

"It's a huge loss for all of us on the PGA Tour," Malnati said. "As much as we want to beat each other, we're one big family, and we lost one today. It's terrible."

Other players, including Justin Thomas , Luke Donald and Bubba Watson , took to social media to express their condolences.

Speechless to hear about Grayson. Guy had been through so many ups and downs to get where he was. I hurt so much for his family and the people closest to him. My condolences and deepest sympathies — Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) May 25, 2024

Truly devastating news that Grayson Murray has passed away. He asked me for some advice on how to play Augusta a few months ago, last week I saw him at the PGA Championship, life truly is precious. My condolences and prayers to his whole family that they may find some peace 💔 — Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) May 25, 2024

Very sad to hear the news of Grayson Murray's passing today. Life is so fragile... I was just hugging you at the Masters, telling you how proud of you I am. Thankful to have known you. My deepest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. He will be missed. — bubba watson (@bubbawatson) May 25, 2024

Murray, who spoke about alcohol and mental health in the past, made a massive turnaround this year and won the Sony Open , hitting wedge to 3 feet for birdie on the final hole to get into a playoff and winning it with a 40-foot putt.

He also won the Barbasol Championship in 2017.

Murray, who was No. 58 in the world ranking, was coming off a tie for 43rd in the PGA Championship last week at Valhalla. He also made the cut in his Masters debut, finishing 51st, and was in the field for next month's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.

Murray, who grew up in North Carolina, was among the most talented juniors in the country. He won the prestigious Junior World Championship in San Diego three straight years and earned the Arnold Palmer Scholarship at Wake Forest.

He wound up going to three colleges, lastly at Arizona State, and won as a 22-year-old PGA Tour rookie at the 2017 Barbasol.

Murray said when he won the Sony Open in January that he had been sober for eight months, was engaged to be married and felt his best golf was ahead of him. He was appointed to the PGA Tour's 16-member Player Advisory Council the same month.

"My story is not finished. I think it's just beginning," Murray said in Hawaii. "I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues."

Murray said he used to drink during tournament weeks as a rookie because he knew he had talent and felt he was invincible. He also brought attention to himself through social media, openly criticizing other players and getting into one social media spat with Kevin Na over Na's reputation as a slow player.

But Murray said he felt like he turned the corner when he sought help -- letting others fight for him, is how he explained it this year.

"It took me a long time to get to this point," Murray said in January. "That was seven years ago, over seven years ago. I'm a different man now. I would not be in this position right now today if I didn't put that drink down eight months ago."

Monahan called Murray an inspiration.

"Listen, these are some of the best athletes in the world," the commissioner said. "They think they're -- you know, and they are, in many respects, invincible. I think one of the things that I think back about Grayson's openness is -- and I speak about courage, he taught us all a lesson on that front, and that's something I'll never forget."

Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.

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Grayson Murray, a 2-time PGA Tour winner, dies by suicide

Emma Bowman

Grayson Murray holds the trophy after winning the Sony Open golf event, on Jan. 14, 2024, at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu. The 30-year-old died on Saturday, according to PGA Tour officials. Matt York/AP hide caption

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Grayson Murray, a 30-year-old professional golfer and two-time PGA Tour winner, died on Saturday.

He died by suicide, his family said.

"We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone," his parents Eric and Terry Murray said in a statement on Sunday shared by the PGA Tour. "It’s a nightmare."

Murray had spoken publicly about his struggles with depression and unhealthy alcohol use and how those issues fueled some of his lowest points in his professional career.

"Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now," his parents said in the statement.

His death came a day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge, citing an unspecified illness. Playing in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday he was 5 over par when he pulled out during the second round of the tournament with two holes remaining.

The PGA Tour announced his death in a statement on Saturday: "We were devastated to learn — and are heartbroken to share — that PGA TOUR player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in the statement . “The PGA TOUR is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones. “

At age 23, the Raleigh, N.C., native won his first PGA Tour title with the Barbasol Championship in 2017 — his rookie year. But his game struggled in the seasons that followed, according to the PGA Tour press release.

At the Sony Open, he recalled that first year on the PGA Tour. “I was young and thought I was invincible — wasn’t doing the correct stuff off the course to really give myself the best chance to succeed out here,” he told reporters.

Last year, he found success again on the Korn Ferry Tour, placing fourth and earning back his spot on the PGA Tour.

He appeared to be on a career comeback after winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January — his first PGA Tour victory in seven years.

At the time, he credited sobriety and his supportive family for helping him feel “more at peace inside the ropes.”

“I’m over eight months sober now. I have a beautiful fiancée that I love so much and who is so supportive of me, and my parents are so supportive of me,” he said . “They’re right there with me when I do have those hard days.”

In addition to his parents, Murray is survived by his brother Cameron and sister Erica.

His parents thanked the golfing community for its support in the wake of their son's death.

They also issued a plea — to "honor Grayson by being kind to one another."

"If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else," their statement read.

Ernie Els wins 2024 Principal Charity Classic, his first PGA Tour Champions win of the year

Fourth time is the charm.

It took four appearances at the Principal Charity Classic for Ernie Els to get his first win in Des Moines, with the South Africa native simultaneously earning his first PGA Tour Champions win this season.

“It’s very special,” Els said of the win. “I haven’t won for a while, and I’ve had quite a few chances. But it gets tougher when you don’t get it over the line.”

Els, a former World No. 1 and four-time major winner, finished at 21-under-par 195 and won by two strokes.

The 54-year-old birdied twice on the front nine Sunday and three times on the back nine. He picked up an eagle on lucky number 13, which gave Els the padding needed for the win, even with making par on the final three holes.

“I was lucky enough to make birdie on 11,” Els said. “I didn’t need a very good approach, made a good putt. And then 12, but 13 was big to make eagle late on the back nine, that was key. Got me into a three-shot lead, and (I) kept with it.”

The win at the Wakonda Club marked the first PGA Tour Champions win of the season for Els, who entered the Principal Charity Classic ranked 16th in the Schwab Cup Standings through eight events.

He claimed the winner’s purse of $300,000, which brings his total winnings the $785,017 this season. Els had finished in the top-10 three times this season, including two third-place ties in the Regions Tradition and Chubb Classic and a sixth-place tie at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.

Els finished two shots ahead of Stephen Ames, the defending champion, and it was a close race throughout. Four players were tied for first after finishing the front nine: Ames, Rod Pampling, Els and Bernhard Langer.

Only Ames, Els and Langer remained in a tie for first after 12 holes, at 18-under. Then, the front group started to split apart.

Ames picked up two birdies to start the back nine, then made par on 12 and 13, and saved par on 14. Els made par on 10, then picked up back-to-back birdies and an eagle on the next three holes to take a two-shot lead. Langer also hit par to start the back nine, then made three birdies in a row before a bogey on 14.

Els’ eagle on 13 proved to be the winning shot in Sunday’s competition.

He played his best tournament of the year, leading after the first two rounds and hanging on through the final day in Des Moines.

“I had a good game plan,” Els said. “I stuck with it all three days. I’ve put the work in and you feel a bit more confident that every aspect of the game is there.

“Then you can just go out there and compete. It was a hell of a week. Everybody played well and just that one hole maybe got it for me. Number 13.”

Els – who thanked the Wakonda staff for the “true championship course” and the weather for cooperating – plans to return to Des Moines for more tournaments.

“We as players love playing here. As long as I can, I’ll come back, especially if I keep winning.”

Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel .

PGA TOUR winner Grayson Murray passes away at 30

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Grayson Murray, who won his second PGA TOUR title at this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii, passed away Saturday.

"We were devastated to learn – and are heartbroken to share – that PGA TOUR player Grayson Murray passed away this morning. I am at a loss for words,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “The PGA TOUR is a family, and when you lose a member of your family, you are never the same. We mourn Grayson and pray for comfort for his loved ones.

“I reached out to Grayson’s parents to offer our deepest condolences, and during that conversation, they asked that we continue with tournament play,” Commissioner Monahan continued. “They were adamant that Grayson would want us to do so. As difficult as it will be, we want to respect their wishes.”

Grief counselors were made available at the venues for this week’s PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour events. Commissioner Monahan, who traveled from TOUR headquarters in Florida to the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, said he was "devastated" by the loss.

Grayson's parents, Eric and Terry Murray, said in a statement Sunday that the cause of death was suicide .

"Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes," his parents wrote. "By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and – it seems – by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed."

Murray, 30, was a standout golfer from his youth. He won three consecutive Callaway Junior World Championships (2006-08) and was the top-ranked golfer in his age group. He made his first cut on the Korn Ferry Tour at age 16, becoming the second-youngest player ever to do so. After stints at Wake Forest University, East Carolina University and Arizona State University, he got the break he needed in 2016 when he was given a sponsor exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour event near his hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina. He finished inside the top 10 at that event, the Rex Hospital Open, which qualified him for another start. When he posted another top 10 at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, his professional career took off. He concluded his season with a victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship to finish second on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and earn full status on the PGA TOUR for the 2016-17 season. The win came a week before his 23rd birthday.

Murray wasted little time establishing himself on golf’s biggest stage as a rookie. He won the 2017 Barbasol Championship while still just 23 years old. His final-round 68 not only secured a one-shot victory, but also solidified a two-year exemption through the 2019 PGA TOUR season. He finished 66th in the FedExCup and earned nearly $1.5 million.

Grayson struggled for the next few seasons on the PGA TOUR. In 2023, he found his game again on the Korn Ferry Tour; he notched two victories – the Advent Health Championship in Kansas City and the Simmons Bank Open outside of Nashville – to finish fourth on that tour’s points list and earn a spot back onto the PGA TOUR for the following season.

Murray opened the 2024 season with a playoff victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He made a clutch up and down on the 72nd hole for a birdie to force a playoff. Then he sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to defeat Byeong Hun An and Keegan Bradley. He reached a career-high 46th in the Official World Golf Ranking after that victory.

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Grayson Murray, Winner of Two PGA Tour Titles, Dies at 30

Murray, who was outspoken about his depression and alcohol abuse, had begun a comeback after several volatile years, winning this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii.

By Emmett Lindner

Grayson Murray, the professional golfer who won two PGA Tour titles and was outspoken about his battles with depression and alcohol, died on Saturday. He was 30.

His death was confirmed in a statement on Saturday by the PGA Tour. He died by suicide, according to a PGA Tour statement that was released on Sunday on behalf of his parents.

“We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone,” the statement said. “It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world.”

After a successful 40-foot putt to win the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, Murray rose to 46th in the Official World Golf Ranking, a career high. The event marked the height of a comeback run after several volatile years as Murray struggled with his mental health.

In a news conference after winning the Sony Open, Murray said that for a time he would drink during tournament weeks.

“Best thing and worst thing that ever happened to me was winning my rookie year, but also feeling like I was invincible,” he said. “I’m a different man now, and I would not be in this position right now, today, if I didn’t put that drink down eight months ago.”

He added that he had attended rehabilitation for a month. “I hope I can inspire a lot of people going forward that have their own issues,” he said. Murray had failed to gain PGA Tour status for several months last year after a series of off-course events mirrored a decline in his play.

An alcohol-related incident at a hotel bar in Hawaii in 2021 led to his suspension from the PGA Tour. Afterward, he posted to social media.

“Why was I drunk?” he wrote, adding that he was an “alcoholic that hates everything to do with the PGA Tour life and that’s my scapegoat.”

The golfer Phil Mickelson, who has struggled with a gambling addiction , responded at the time on social media , saying “If I can help in any way I’d be happy to.”

This year, Murray played well enough to qualify for the Masters Tournament and P.G.A. Championship. On Friday, he withdrew from the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, citing an illness.

Grayson Murray was born on Oct. 1, 1993, in Raleigh, N.C., according to an ESPN biography. Mr. Murray is survived by his parents, Eric and Terry, and his brother, Cameron, and sister, Erica, according to the statement.

He attended Wake Forest, East Carolina and Arizona State Universities, and at 16 he became the second-youngest player to enter the Korn Ferry Tour, according to the PGA Tour.

He continued to gain prominence, playing in the U.S. Open at the age of 19 and clinching a win at the 2017 Barbasol Championship, sinking a five-foot putt for a one-stroke victory.

After losing his PGA Tour card for the 2023 season, and following an angry outburst directed at Jay Monahan, the PGA Tour’s commissioner, he seemed to have found his swing again. He won two Korn Ferry Tour tournaments last year, regaining his PGA Tour eligibility, and finished in the top 10 at two events.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Because of an editing error, the headline on an earlier version of this article misstated the winning record of Grayson Murray. He won two PGA Tour titles, not tours.

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Emmett Lindner writes about breaking and trending news. He has written about international protests, climate change and social media influencers. More about Emmett Lindner