Every PGA Tour Rookie Of The Year Since 1990

The PGA Tour Rookie of the Year title, known as the Arnold Palmer Award, has been won by a number of the game's modern day greats since its inception in 1990

Eric Cole with the Arnold Palmer Award after being named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
Eric Cole became the second-oldest PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2023 at the age of 35
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award goes to the stand-out first-year PGA Tour player, with many of the game's greats stamping their authority on the tour straight of the gate.

The Rookie of the Year award has been handed out since 1990, like the PGA Tour Player of the Year award, and is known as the Arnold Palmer Award. Like the POY title, the Arnold Palmer award is voted for by PGA Tour members.

It's usually a very good indicator as to how successful their career will be.

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A number of Major winners have been named Rookie of the Year including the likes of Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, and the likes of John Daly, Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton won Majors in their rookie years on the tour.

Hamilton is the oldest recipient of the award at 38, with 2023 winner Eric Cole in second at 35.

Scottie Scheffler holds Rookie of the Year award in 2020

Scottie Scheffler was the PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year in 2020

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This year's Rookie of the Year award looks likely to be a fight between Matthieu Pavon and Nick Dunlap, with the announcement set to come alongside the Player of the Year decision later this year or early into 2025.

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PGA Tour Rookie of the Year winners
Year Player
1990 Robert Gamez
1991 John Daly
1992 Mark Carnevale
1993 Vijay Singh
1994 Ernie Els
1995 Woody Austin
1996 Tiger Woods
1997 Stewart Cink
1998 Steve Flesch
1999 Carlos Franco
2000 Michael Clark II
2001 Charles Howell III
2002 Jonathan Byrd
2003 Ben Curtis
2004 Todd Hamilton
2005 Sean O'Hair
2006 Trevor Immelman
2007 Brandt Snedeker
2008 Andres Romero
2009 Marc Leishman
2010 Rickie Fowler
2011 Keegan Bradley
2012 John Huh
2013 Jordan Spieth
2014 Chesson Hadley
2015 Daniel Berger
2016 Emiliano Grillo
2017 Xander Schauffele
2018 Aaron Wise
2019 Sungjae Im
2020 Scottie Scheffler
2021 Will Zalatoris
2022 Cameron Young
2023 Eric Cole
Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews.