Scottie Scheffler was named 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year in a vote of his peers, it was announced today at the PGA TOUR’s Houston Open. The Dallas native, who received the Jack Nicklaus Trophy for winning Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, bested three other nominees: Robby Shelton, Kristoffer Ventura and Xinjun Zhang. Scheffler was also named the Tour’s Rookie of the Year. 

The 23-year-old won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019 and earned the top spot on both the season-long and Korn Ferry Tour Finals points lists. Scheffler earned fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR for the 2019-20 season as well as an exemption into the 2020 PLAYERS Championship, becoming the first player to top both lists since Chesson Hadley in 2017.

“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I would like to congratulate Scottie Scheffler for earning these awards through a vote of his peers,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “His 2019 Korn Ferry Tour season was among the best in tour history, and we’ve already seen his talent translate into early success on the TOUR this fall.”

After turning professional in 2018, Scheffler earned Korn Ferry Tour status by finishing T34 at the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. The University of Texas product converted two gutsy up-and-downs on his final two holes at the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School’s Final Stage to earn guaranteed starts for the 2019 season.

Scheffler began the Korn Ferry Tour season recording two top-10s in his first three starts and earned a solo-second finish at the Savannah Golf Championship. After several close calls, he captured his first victory of the season at the Evans Scholars Invitational in May.

Scheffler continued his strong play throughout the year, finishing the season with $565,338 in earnings, the third-most single-season earnings in Tour history. He amassed 10 top-10 finishes and added a second victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship – the first of three events in the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

Scheffler closed out the 2019 season with a T7 at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, sealing his spot atop the season-long points list and the Finals points list.

“My first year on the Korn Ferry Tour was incredible for me,” Scheffler said. “I’m extremely grateful to have earned the Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors. I’ve always dreamed of playing on the PGA TOUR and I am very honored to have that opportunity.”

Scheffler’s first-year success resulted in him being crowned the Korn Ferry Tour’s Rookie of the Year. He was selected for this honor, also by his fellow competitors, over Harry Higgs and Matthew NeSmith.

“Scottie Scheffler had an incredible first season on the Korn Ferry Tour,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “We are thrilled to see him earn both the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. He is a fantastic example of the growing youth presence we are seeing on our Tour and we are excited to see what he will accomplish on the PGA TOUR.”

For more information on the Korn Ferry Tour, please visit PGATOUR.com.