Xander Schauffele of San Diego was voted 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year by fellow members of the tour.
PGA Tour members who played at least 15 official money events last season were eligible to vote.
“On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Xander Schauffele on being voted PGA Tour Rookie of the Year,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Being recognized by your peers is one of the highest honors a player can receive, and Xander’s win at the Tour Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs capped off what had already been a remarkable rookie season.”
The 23-year-old Schauffele, who played at San Diego State, held off FedExCup champion Justin Thomas by one stroke to become the first rookie to win the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta and finished third in the point standings.
Schauffele became the fourth player who graduated from high school in 2011 to become PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, joining Jordan Spieth (2013), Daniel Berger (2015) and Emiliano Grillo (2016) of Argentina.
“The award is a true honor,” said Schauffele, who is No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking. “I’m trying not to let my head get in the clouds.
“Jordan, Berger, Justin Thomas … they’ve been in the limelight already, and they’ve managed to keep their foot down and keep going forward. Everyone talks about how great this is, but if I want to be in that company, I’ve got to keep my head down and apply to the situation.”
By winning the finale, Schauffele became one of six multiple winners during the 2016-17 season, joining Thomas, Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Marc Leishman.
Schauffele also captured the Greenbrier Classic and tied for fifth in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.
