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As the FedExCup playoffs draw nearer, the competition and anticipation for the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year is heating up. Several rookies this year are in contention for the title. The top-most Rookie of the Year will be awarded the Arnold Palmer Award.
The 2023 PGA Tour's Rookie of the Year was won by Eric Cole. Cole became the second-oldest player to earn the honor after Todd Hamilton (38) won in 2004. Some of the past winners of the Arnold Palmer awards are as follows:
- Cameron Young (2022)
- Will Zalatoris (2021)
- Scottie Scheffler (2020)
- Sungjae Im (2019)
- Aaron Wise (2018)
As per the PGA Tour website, the Tour members who have played in at least 15 FedEx Cup events determine and vote for the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. The top rookies this year are Matthieu Pavon, Nick Dunlap, Jake Knapp, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Alejandro Tosti.
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Let's take a look at them:
5 golfers in contention for the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors
#1 Matthieu Pavon
Pavon is far ahead in the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year race. The Frenchman has had a splendid 2024 season with three top-5 finishes, four top-10 finishes, and six top-25 finishes.
Matthieu Pavon is currently 14th in the FedExCup standings, an important factor in deciding the title. Pavon's notable performances this year are his win at the Farmers Insurance Open and then his T3 finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
#2 Nick Dunlap
The top-most competitor for Matthieu Pavon is Nick Dunlap.
Dunlap, an amateur then, surprised everyone with his performance at the 2024 American Express. He became the first amateur to win a Tour event in 30 years. Dunlap's third round at 60 took everyone by surprise as he tied the lowest round ever by an amateur.
A week after the tournament, Dunlap turned pro. Since then, Dunlap has had one top-10 finish and four top-25 finishes this year. He is currently 87th on the FedExCup standings despite winning the 2024 American Express tournament as he was deprived of 500 FedExCup points as an amateur.
#3 Jake Knapp
Jake Knapp has had a great season as a rookie. He has had three top-5 finishes and four top-10 finishes this year. Knapp won the 2024 Mexico Open by two strokes over Sami Valimaki.
His other two notable finishes are his T3 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and T4 finish at the Cognizant Classic. Knapp is currently 44th in the FedExCup standings and a win can make him the front-runner in the competition.
#4 Michael Thorbjornsen
Thorbjornsen is 200th in the FedExCup standings and a long shot from becoming the 2024 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.
Thorbjornsen has played two PGA Tour events and missed the cut in one of them. However, if he manages to replicate Ludvig Aberg like last year in the remaining events of the PGA Tour season, he can become a show stealer.
#5 Alejandro Tosti
Alejandro Tosti is 113th in the FedExCup standings. He finished as a runner-up in the Texas Children's Open, one shot behind Stephan Jaeger. Tosti has had two top-20 finishes this year and needs an overhaul to change things for him and win the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award.
