Scottie Scheffler just won the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year for the 2022-2023 PGA Tour season. And it was for the second consecutive season. The last time anyone won it for two consecutive seasons was Tiger Woods in 2005-2007. This honor is bestowed by the PGA Tour. The selection is based only on votes by PGA Tour members who played at least 15 regular PGA Tour tournaments during the 2022-2023 season.
There is a bit of controversy about Scheffler being chosen rather than Jon Rahm. The voting was conducted during December. And on December 7, John Rahm rather unexpectedly shocked the pro golf world by announcing that he had joined the rebel LIV Golf tour that has stirred more controversy than the PGA Tour has ever had. Furthermore, Rahm had been speaking throughout the year somewhat negatively about LIV Golf and indicating he was quite happy being on the PGA Tour. Now, he won’t be. All PGA Tour members who fled to LIV Gold and banked their big Saudi bucks along the way have been suspended from the PGA Tour.
Rahm certainly was in the running for this prestigious Player of the Year award. In 2023, he won the Masters and a total of four PGA Tour tournaments. Scheffler won the lesser Players Championship–often called the fifth major in pro golf–and a total of two tournaments. But Scheffler had a lot of outstanding stats that surpassed Rahm. Actually, Scottie had a rather miserable year with the short stick. It just shows what a great ball striker he is even though he does some kind of weird Scottie Shuffle with his feet–as if he’s making some really quick, Michael Jackson move on the dance floor–when swinging the big sticks. Plus, Scottie remained #1 with the Official World Golf Ranking. So, he’s been the #1 player in the world for the past two years.
The PGA Tour and LIV Golf had self-imposed a deadline of December 31st for their negotiated “agreement.” But that date passed without a peace deal. So, this pro golf season is still up in the air and on the fence. Everyone has their fingers crossed, hoping the two gorrillas in the pro golf world don’t fall off the fence and land out-of-bounds!
[Scottie Scheffler is a prominent member of the PGA Tour Bible Study which Yours Truly cofounded in 1965 and helped lead through 1982.]
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