Scottie Scheffler named PGA Tour Player of the Year
Scottie Scheffler won four times in the 2022 PGA Tour season and he became World No.1 after winning the WGC Match Play in Austin.
Scottie Scheffler has been named PGA Tour Player of the Year, beating FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy and Cameron Smith to the prize.
The World No.1 received 89% of the vote and he received the Jack Nicklaus Award on College GameDay ahead of the Alabama at Texas football game in Austin.
Scheffler has had an incredible season where he has truly come of age on the PGA Tour. At the start of February, the 26-year-old was winless on Tour and ranked 15th in the world.
He beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale and two starts later, he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Having beaten Jon Rahm in the Sunday singles of the Ryder Cup in 2021, he showed his match play expertise again by winning the WGC Match Play a week before his most significant victory.
A SUPRISE FOR SCOTTIE
Scottie Scheffler is the 2022 @PGATOUR Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/DZsFQdWz86— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 10, 2022
Despite a shakey finish on the 72nd hole, Scheffler won The Masters in what was one of the most dominant displays we have seen at Augusta National in recent years.
He had reached the top of the world rankings at this stage and he hasn't left this spot since. He lost in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge and he came tied second at the US Open behind Matt Fitzpatrick.
He experienced disappointment at the Tour Championship, the final stage of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Scheffler shot a final-round 73 to surrender a convincing lead to McIlroy who became the first player to win the FedEx Cup three times.
"On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Scottie on his remarkable season and his unprecedented achievements," said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
"Undoubtedly, one of the highest compliments a player can receive is the endorsement from his peers, and the fact that Scottie’s season was both dominant and consistent spoke volumes to the membership.
"And as gratifying as it has been to see his development on the course over the last several years, we are equally thankful that Scottie has embraced the role as an ambassador of the PGA Tour and the game of golf. With young stars like Scottie leading the way, the PGA Tour is in great hands for many years to come."
McIlroy won the CJ Cup and the RBC Canadian Open in a season where he also came in the top 10 at each of the four major championships.
Smith, who has moved to the LIV Golf Series, won three times on the PGA Tour in 2022 including The Players Championship and The 150th Open Championship.