PGA Tour Awards: Our Verdict on Who Should Win POTY and ROTY in 2022

Published 08/28/2022, 1:30 PM EDT

Another season of golf comes to an end. A year filled with drama, controversies, and defectors. However, despite the adversity, the PGA Tour players didn’t shy away from giving the fans a world-class performance. As we approach the finale of the 2022 PGA Tour season, we look at who, according to us, wins the PGA Tour Player of the Year award and Rookie of the Year award.

The 2022 PGA Tour season saw a lot of talent shine brighter than ever. Despite the emergence of LIV Golf, which left a lot of players bewildered in deciding their future, the PGA Tour players remained constant with their performance and managed to bring all 4 Majors back to the 92-year-old Tour.

With such severe competition, the season saw a lot of players make history. So who do you think will win the 2022 PGA Tour Player of the year? Is it Rory McIlroy with his consistent top-notch performance, or Tony Finau who won back-to-back tournaments, or Justin Thomas who made an unthinkable comeback at the PGA Championship, or is it, Matt Fitzpatrick or Jon Rahm? Here’s who we think deserves the POTY award.

PGA Tour Player of the Year Award

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Sam Burns and Xander Schauffele had a great 2021-22 PGA Tour season with 3 wins each. But we all can agree on who solemnly deserves this award. It is none other than Scottie Scheffler. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, Scheffler had no professional wins to his name. However, he finished the season with the most wins in the Tour.

The 26-year-old began the season with three top 5 finishes in his first eight tournaments. However, Scheffler then went on to win four of his next six tournaments which also included his maiden Major, The Masters.

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Scheffler participated in 24 events this season, out of which he made the cut in all except four tournaments, including the PGA Championship. Despite that, he finished the US Open tied at 2nd position and ascended to the World Number One ranking earlier this year.

Scottie Scheffler finished 8 times in the Top 3s this season. He has an SG of 1.759 which leaves him only 4 players ahead of him. Not only has the 2022 season been a breakthrough year for the 26-year-old, but he also managed to make some records in the world of golf.

By winning total prize money of $14,046,910 in the 2021-22 PGA Tour season, Scheffler became the golfer with the highest earning prize money in a single season. Whether the future of golf belongs to Scottie Scheffler is still inexact. However, it is clear to say that the PGA Tour Player of the Year trophy belongs to him without a doubt.

PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award

When talking about who takes home the ROTY award, there isn’t much of a discussion. Cameron Smith along with Sahith Theegal, are the only two rookies who have qualified for the Tour Championship. So when we compare both the golfers statistically, it is evident enough to acknowledge the world-class season of Smith. Perhaps the 28-year-old could also be a contender for POTY.

The Australian golfer took everyone by shock by performing each event with little to no errors. Smith started the 2021-22 PGA Tour season with a win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Players Championship. He fell just short at Augusta National after finishing tied to the 3rd position.

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Following The Masters, Cam Smith was having decent performances that saw him finish 7 times in the top 10. Having participated in 14 events, he only failed to make the cut in three tournaments. Moreover, Smith had the 10th-best SG which in total stands at 1.635.

Nonetheless, the Aussie golfer made the headlines when he won the 2022 Open Championship, his first Major, with a record-breaking performance in the final round. Smith completed the Major in St. Andrews with a score of 20 under par, joining the elite golf clan to hold the Claret Jug. With speculations revolving around Cam Smith’s move to LIV Golf, the PGA Tour’s ROTY award might as well be his last trophy won at the 92-year-old Tour.

Who do you think deserves the PGA Tour’s POTY and ROTY awards? Let us know your contenders for the award in the comments section below!

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Written by:

Abdul Bari is a Golf writer at EssentiallySports. Having completed his Bachelor’s in Business Administration, Abdul is currently pursuing his Master’s in the same. With great affection for the world of sports, this avid golf lover turned to the course at a young age.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

PGA Tour Awards: Our Verdict on Who Should Win POTY and ROTY in 2022

PGA Tour Player of the Year Award

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PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award