Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are once again in the running for the PGA Tour’s top season-ending honor, as both were named among the nominees for the 2025 Jack Nicklaus Award. The PGA Tour announced the shortlist on Wednesday, confirming Scheffler, McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Ben Griffin as the four candidates for Player of the Year.

The PGA Tour Player Directors and the Player Advisory Council finalized the nominations. Scheffler and McIlroy have become regular contenders for the award, earning their fourth consecutive appearance on the ballot after seasons marked by major wins and consistent results.

Scottie Scheffler heads into this year’s voting with some strong history behind him. The world No. 1 became only the second golfer after Tiger Woods to win the award three years in a row, a streak he completed in 2024. Woods did it twice, earning five straight titles from 1999 to 2003 and another three from 2005 to 2007. Scheffler’s achievements also make him just the third player to win Player of the Year three times in his career, joining Woods, who holds a record 11 titles, and McIlroy, who has three.

For Fleetwood and Griffin, this marks their first time on the shortlist. Fleetwood finished his season on a high note by winning the Tour Championship and securing the FedEx Cup. Griffin also put together a standout year with three wins in 30 starts, including his recent victory at the World Wide Technology Championship.

The Tour also announced its five nominees for the Arnold Palmer Award, which recognizes the Rookie of the Year. Michael Brennan, Steven Fisk, William Mouw, Aldrich Potgieter and Karl Vilips are in contention for the honor.

Voting for both awards will be done by PGA Tour members who competed in at least 15 official FedExCup events this season. Players will cast their votes through PGA TOUR CENTRAL, the Tour’s new digital platform. Voting opens Thursday, December 4 at 10 a.m. ET and closes Friday, December 12 at 5 p.m. ET. Winners will be announced later.

Why Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy lead the Player of the Year Race?

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are both strong and deserving nominees for the Jack Nicklaus Award based on their seasons. McIlroy played 16 events and won three times, including the Masters, which completed his career Grand Slam. He finished the year as number two in the Official World Golf Ranking, placed T23 in the FedExCup, recorded eight top ten finishes, and missed only one cut. He also finished second in Scoring Average with 69.083.

Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler was even more dominant, playing 20 events and winning six titles, including the PGA Championship and The Open. He ended the year as number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, placed T4 in the FedExCup and recorded 17 top ten finishes without missing a cut. He also won the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest Scoring Average at 68.131.