Scottie Scheffler voted PGA Tour player of the year over Jon Rahm

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler received two official PGA Tour tournaments in 2023, whereas Spain’s Jon Rahm received 4 occasions, together with his second main championship on the Masters in April.

Whereas Scheffler continues to be a member of the PGA Tour, Rahm turned the newest star to jump to the rival LIV Golf League on Dec. 7, accepting a multiyear contract price greater than $300 million.

That may be one of many explanations for why PGA Tour members on Wednesday voted Scheffler as participant of the 12 months for 2022-23. He turned the primary back-to-back winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award since Tiger Woods was participant of the 12 months three straight occasions from 2005 to 2007.

“I’ve by no means been one to boast about my accomplishments, so sitting in entrance of a microphone, I am not going to sit down there and inform you how nice I’m,” Scheffler stated. “That is not likely my factor. However on the finish of the day, like I stated, I am pleased with the 12 months I had. The consistency was one thing that I am very pleased with.”

Scheffler’s honor was introduced Wednesday on the season-opening occasion, the Sentry at Kapalua Resort in Hawaii. The PGA Tour stated Scheffler obtained 38% of the vote and was chosen over 4 different finalists: U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, FedEx Cup champion Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy and Rahm.

“I feel it was an in depth race,” Scheffler stated. “It might have gone both method. Yeah, like I stated, I am very grateful for the gamers voting for me, and it is extraordinarily particular to have the ability to win this award once more.”

The tour stated golfers who competed in not less than 15 official FedEx Cup tournaments have been eligible to vote for the award. The voting interval was Dec. 1-15.

The earlier season, Scheffler obtained 89% of the vote after capturing 4 tournaments, together with his first main on the Masters.

Regardless of having solely half as many wins as Rahm final season, Scheffler had one of many biggest statistical seasons in PGA Tour historical past. He received the WM Phoenix Open for the second time Feb. 12, then captured the Gamers — the so-called “fifth main” — a month later. He had 17 top-10s and 21 top-25s in 23 begins on tour. He did not miss a lower.

Scheffler led the tour in strokes gained: whole (2.314), off the tee (1.021), strategy (1.194) and tee to inexperienced (2.615). He additionally completed first in scoring common (68.6), which was the bottom on tour since Woods in 2009 (68.05).

Eric Cole, who was the one rookie to qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship, obtained the Arnold Palmer Award because the tour’s rookie of the 12 months. He had runner-up finishes on the Honda Basic, dropping to Chris Kirk in a playoff, and the Zozo Championship in Japan.

Cole obtained 51% of the votes, beating out Ludvig Åberg, Nico Echavarria and Vincent Norrman.

Cole, 35, is the oldest PGA Tour rookie of the 12 months since Todd Hamilton, who was 39 when he received it in 2004. Cole had six top-five finishes in 2022-23, which was tied for fifth-most on tour. He led the tour with 554 birdies on the season.

Cole’s mom, Laura Baugh, was the 1973 LPGA Rookie of the 12 months.

“I feel there is a cool feeling for me profitable this, it being known as the Arnold Palmer Award and having a reference to Mr. Palmer rising up and being round him a little bit bit, after which additionally my mother profitable the LPGA Tour Rookie of the 12 months precisely 50 years in the past,” Cole stated. “It simply appears nearly arduous to imagine. Like I stated, it is an enormous honor, and it is one thing I am very pleased with and really honored to win.”