The PGA TOUR has released its nominees for the PGA TOUR Player of the Year and PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year for the 2012 season.
Players were nominated by the PGA TOUR Player Directors and members of the Player Advisory Council (PAC). The awards are determined by a member vote, with PGA TOUR members who played in at least 15 official money events in 2012 eligible to vote. The balloting process ends on November 30, with the respective winners to be announced in early December.
The nominees for the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA TOUR Player of the Year are Jason Dufner, Rory McIlroy, Brandt Snedeker, Bubba Watson and Tiger Woods.
Jason Dufner • Entered 22 events and won twice: Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
• Finished 14th in the FedExCup.
• Finished fourth in adjusted scoring average (69.456).
• Finished fourth on final official money list ($4,869,304).
• Recorded a total of eight top-10 finishes.
Rory McIlroy • Entered 16 events and won four times: The Honda Classic, PGA Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship and BMW Championship.
• Runner-up in the FedExCup.
• Winner of the Byron Nelson Award and Vardon Trophy for adjusted scoring average (68.87).
• Winner of the Arnold Palmer Award as the TOUR\'s leading official money winner ($8,047,952).
• Recorded a total of 10 top-10 finishes, tied for most on TOUR with Bo Van Pelt.
Brandt Snedeker • Entered 22 events and won twice: Farmers Insurance Open and the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.
• Winner of the 2012 FedExCup with three top 10s in the FedExCup Playoffs, including a victory at the season-ending TOUR Championship.
• Finished 15th in adjusted scoring average (69.84).
• Finished third on final official money list ($4,989,739).
• Recorded a total of seven top-10 finishes.
Bubba Watson • Entered 19 events and won once: the Masters Tournament.
• Finished 13th in the FedExCup.
• Finished fifth on final official money list ($4,644,997).
• Finished ninth in adjusted scoring average (69.639).
• Recorded a total of seven top-10 finishes.
Tiger Woods • Entered 19 events and won three times: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide and AT&T National.
• Finished third in the FedExCup.
• Finished second in adjusted scoring average (68.90).
• Finished second on final official money list ($6,133,158).
• Recorded a total of nine top-10 finishes.
The nominees for PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year are Charlie Beljan, Jonas Blixt, Bud Cauley, John Huh and Ted Potter, Jr.
Charlie Beljan • Entered 22 events and won once: Children\'s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic.
• Finished 160th in the FedExCup.
• Finished 63rd on final official money list ($1,373,528).
• Recorded a total of three top-10 finishes.
Jonas Blixt • Entered 21 events and won once: Frys.com Open.
• Finished 71st in the FedExCup.
• Finished 34th on final official money list ($2,255,695).
• Led all rookies in adjusted scoring average (70.244) and ranked 34th overall.
• Recorded a total of five top-10 finishes.
Bud Cauley • Entered 28 events and recorded six top-10 finishes, the most by any rookie.
• Finished 38th in the FedExCup.
• Finished 44th on final official money list ($1,774,479).
John Huh • Entered 28 events and won once: Mayakoba Golf Classic.
• Was the only rookie to qualify for the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola; fifth rookie to qualify for the TOUR Championship since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007.
• Finished 29th in the FedExCup.
• Finished 28th on final official money list ($2,692,113).
• Recorded a total of four top-10 finishes.
Ted Potter, Jr. • Entered 25 events and won once: The Greenbrier Classic.
• Finished 93rd in the FedExCup.
• Finished 62nd on final official money list ($1,383,170).
• Recorded one top-10 finish.
The 2013 PGA TOUR season kicks off at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, January. 4-7, at The Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii, with four-round coverage on Golf Channel.