Texas (US), Dec 11 : World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the PGA Tour Player of the Year for the 2024 season.

Scheffler, who won seven PGA TOUR events in 2024, the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the season-long FedExCup title, is the first player since Tiger Woods (2005-2007) to win Player of the Year honours in three consecutive seasons.

Scheffler joined Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Jack Nicklaus Award in three consecutive seasons (est. 1990). Woods won Player of the Year in consecutive seasons from 1999-2003 (five straight) and 2005-2007 (three straight).

Scheffler (2022, 2023, 2024), Woods (11 times, most recently 2013) and McIlroy (2012, 2014, 2019) are the only players to win the award three or more times. Since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007, nine players have won the FedExCup and PGA Tour Player of the Year in the same season.

'On behalf of the PGA Tour, congratulations to Scottie Scheffler on a truly historic season, capped off with his first FedExCup title and today a third consecutive Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour Player of the Year,' said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. 'Scottie took on challenges from the best players in the world on the biggest stages all season, and being honoured as PGA TOUR Player of the Year is the ultimate sign of respect from his peers.'

Player of the Year is determined by a member vote, with PGA Tour members who played in at least 15 events during the 2024 season eligible to vote. The voting period ran from November 25 through December 4. Scheffler received 91 percent of the vote for the Jack Nicklaus Award and was selected over two other nominees: Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy.

Scheffler won the FedExCup for the first time on the strength of seven PGA Tour victories in 2024, bringing his career total to 13 wins. He became the first player to successfully defend his title at THE PLAYERS Championship and won the Masters Tournament for the second time (2022, 2024), becoming the first player to win THE PLAYERS, a major championship, and the FedExCup in the same season.

In addition to wins at THE PLAYERS, Masters Tournament and TOUR Championship, he captured four titles at Signature Events: Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Memorial Tournament.

His seven-win season marked the first time a player won seven or more times in a single season since Woods in 2007. Throughout the entire season, Scheffler maintained his No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, a position he has occupied since May 21, 2023 (82 straight weeks). In total, Scheffler recorded a Tour-best 16 top-10s in 19 starts and did not miss a cut.

Scheffler's season also included a gold medal, winning the men's Olympic golf competition in his Olympic debut, and a victory for the United States at the Presidents Cup in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, his fourth international team competition appearance (Presidents Cup: 2022, 2024, Ryder Cup: 2020, 2023).

During the Challenge Season a series of unofficial events, Scheffler successfully defended his title at the Hero World Challenge, winning the Woods-hosted event by six strokes. For the second consecutive season, he also received the Byron Nelson Award for recording the lowest scoring average on tour in 2024 (68.65).

PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for the 2024 season will be announced before the end of the year.

/IANS