Awarded to the rookie who places highest in the Race to Dubai, the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award was first presented in 1960 (predating the official start of the Tour in 1972) and is named after three-time Open Champion, Sir Henry Cotton.
The winner is currently selected by a panel of the European Tour, Association of Golf Writers and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews members.
| Year | Rookie of the Year | Nat |
| 2020 | Sami Välimäki | FIN |
| 2019 | Robert MacIntyre | SCO |
| 2018 | Shubhankar Sharma | IND |
| 2017 | Jon Rahm | ESP |
| 2016 | Wang Jeung-hun | KOR |
| 2015 | An Byeong-hun | KOR |
| 2014 | Brooks Koepka | USA |
| 2013 | Peter Uihlein | USA |
| 2012 | Ricardo Santos | POR |
| 2011 | Tom Lewis | ENG |
| 2010 | Matteo Manassero | ITA |
| 2009 | Chris Wood | ENG |
| 2008 | Pablo Larrazábal | ESP |
| 2007 | Martin Kaymer | GER |
| 2006 | Marc Warren | SCO |
| 2005 | Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño | ESP |
| 2004 | Scott Drummond | SCO |
| 2003 | Peter Lawrie | IRE |
| 2002 | Nick Dougherty | ENG |
| 2001 | Paul Casey | ENG |
| 2000 | Ian Poulter | ENG |
| 1999 | Sergio García | ESP |
| 1998 | Olivier Edmond | FRA |
| 1997 | Scott Henderson | SCO |
| 1996 | Thomas Bjørn | DEN |
| 1995 | Jarmo Sandelin | SWE |
| 1994 | Jonathan Lomas | ENG |
| 1993 | Gary Orr | SCO |
| 1992 | Jim Payne | ENG |
| 1991 | Per-Ulrik Johansson | SWE |
| 1990 | Russell Claydon | ENG |
| 1989 | Paul Broadhurst | ENG |
| 1988 | Colin Montgomerie | SCO |
| 1987 | Peter Baker | ENG |
| 1986 | José María Olazábal | ESP |
| 1985 | Paul Thomas | WAL |
| 1984 | Philip Parkin | WAL |
| 1983 | Grant Turner | ENG |
| 1982 | Gordon Brand Jnr | SCO |
| 1981 | Jeremy Bennett | ENG |
| 1980 | Paul Hoad | ENG |
| 1979 | Mike Miller | SCO |
| 1978 | Sandy Lyle | SCO |
| 1977 | Nick Faldo | ENG |
| 1976 | Mark James | ENG |
| 1975 | No award | |
| 1974 | Carl Mason | ENG |
| 1973 | Pip Elson | ENG |
| 1972 | Sam Torrance | SCO |
| 1971 | David Llewellyn | WAL |
| 1970 | Stuart Brown | ENG |
| 1969 | Peter Oosterhuis | ENG |
| 1968 | Bernard Gallacher | SCO |
| 1967 | No award | |
| 1966 | Robin Liddle | SCO |
| 1965 | No award | |
| 1964 | No award | |
| 1963 | Tony Jacklin | ENG |
| 1962 | No award | |
| 1961 | Alex Caygill | ENG |
| 1960 | Tommy Goodwin | ENG |
