The PGA Tour first issued their Rookie of the Year award in 1990. Like the PGA Tour Player of the Year award, it's voted on by PGA Tour players who competed in at least 12 events in a given season.
Winning the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award, however, often turns out not to portend a good career. Of the 24 players to win the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award, only nine went on to win a major championship.
Since 1997, the year after Tiger Woods won twice to take the Rookie of the Year award, the PGA Tour Rookies of the Year since average 2.7 wins for their career. Only five have won major championships.
| Year | Player | PGA Tour Wins | Majors |
| 2023 | Eric Cole | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Cameron Young | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | Will Zalatoris | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | Scottie Scheffler | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | Sungjae Im | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Aaron Wise | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | Xander Schauffele | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | Emiliano Grillo | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | Daniel Berger | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | Chesson Hadley | 1 | 0 |
| 2013 | Jordan Spieth | 1 | 0 |
| 2012 | John Huh | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 | Keegan Bradley | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 | Rickie Fowler | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | Marc Leishman | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | Andres Romero | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | Brandt Snedeker | 6 | 0 |
| 2006 | Trevor Immelman | 2 | 1 |
| 2005 | Sean O'Hair | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 | Todd Hamilton | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | Ben Curtis | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 | Jonathan Byrd | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | Charles Howell III | 2 | 0 |
| 2000 | Michael Clark II | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | Carlos Franco | 4 | 0 |
| 1998 | Steve Flesch | 4 | 0 |
| 1997 | Stewart Cink | 6 | 1 |
| 1996 | Tiger Woods | 79 | 14 |
| 1995 | Woody Austin | 4 | 0 |
| 1994 | Ernie Els | 19 | 4 |
| 1993 | Vijay Singh | 34 | 3 |
| 1992 | Mark Carnevale | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | John Daly | 5 | 2 |
| 1990 | Robert Gamez | 3 | 0 |
