The PGA Player of the Year award has been in existence since 1948. However, in 1990, the PGA Tour and PGA of America created separate Player of the Year awards, both still awarded today.
The PGA Tour Player of the Year award is voted on by PGA Tour membership which competes in at least 12 tournaments in a season. The winner of the award receives the Jack Nicklaus trophy.
The PGA of America Player of the Year award is points-based, given to the player that accumulates the most points in a season. Points are awarded as follows:
- 30 points for winning the PGA Championship, U.S. Open, British Open or Masters
- 20 points for winning The Players Championship
- 10 points for winning all other designated PGA Tour events.
- 50-point bonus for winning two majors, 75-point bonus for winning three & 100-point bonus for winning four.
- For top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour’s official money and scoring average lists for the year, the point value is: first, 20 points, then 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2.
- Any incomplete rounds in the scoring average list will result in a .10 penalty per incomplete round.
Since 1992, the PGA Tour and PGA of America Player of the Year award has gone to the same person.
Tiger Woods has the most PGA of America and PGA Tour Player of the Year awards with 11 each. Woods won five consecutive PGA of America and five PGA Tour Player of the Year awards from 1999-2003.
Winners of the PGA Tour and PGA of America Player of the Year Awards
| Year | PGA Tour POY | PGA of America POY |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler | Jon Rahm |
| 2021 | Scottie Scheffler | Jon Rahm |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay | Jon Rahm |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson | Justin Thomas |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy | Brooks Koepka |
| 2018 | Brooks Koepka | Brooks Koepka |
| 2017 | Brooks Koepka | Brooks Koepka |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | Justin Thomas |
| 2016 | Dustin Johnson | Dustin Johnson |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth | Jordan Spieth |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | Rory McIlroy |
| 2013 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2012 | Rory McIlroy | Rory McIlroy |
| 2011 | Luke Donald | Luke Donald |
| 2010 | Jim Furyk | Jim Furyk |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2008 | Padraig Harrington | Padraig Harrington |
| 2007 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh | Vijay Singh |
| 2003 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara | Mark O'Meara |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | Tiger Woods |
| 1996 | Tom Lehman | Tom Lehman |
| 1995 | Greg Norman | Greg Norman |
| 1994 | Nick Price | Nick Price |
| 1993 | Nick Price | Nick Price |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | Fred Couples |
| 1991 | Fred Couples | Corey Pavin |
| 1990 | Wayne Levi | Nick Faldo |
| 1989 | -- | Tom Kite |
| 1988 | -- | Curtis Strange |
| 1987 | -- | Paul Azinger |
| 1986 | -- | Bob Tway |
| 1985 | -- | Lanny Wadkins |
| 1984 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1983 | -- | Hal Sutton |
| 1982 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1981 | -- | Bill Rogers |
| 1980 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1979 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1978 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1977 | -- | Tom Watson |
| 1976 | -- | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1975 | -- | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1974 | -- | Johnny Miller |
| 1973 | -- | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1972 | -- | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1971 | -- | Lee Trevino |
| 1970 | -- | Billy Casper |
| 1969 | -- | Orville Moody |
| 1968 | -- | Not Awarded |
| 1967 | -- | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1966 | -- | Billy Casper |
| 1965 | -- | Dave Marr |
| 1964 | -- | Ken Venturi |
| 1963 | -- | Julius Boros |
| 1962 | -- | Arnold Palmer |
| 1961 | -- | Jerry Barber |
| 1960 | -- | Arnold Palmer |
| 1959 | -- | Art Wall |
| 1958 | -- | Dow Finsterwald |
| 1957 | -- | Dick Mayer |
| 1956 | -- | Jack Burke |
| 1955 | -- | Doug Ford |
| 1954 | -- | Ed Furgol |
| 1953 | -- | Ben Hogan |
| 1952 | -- | Julius Boros |
| 1951 | -- | Ben Hogan |
| 1950 | -- | Ben Hogan |
| 1949 | -- | Sam Snead |
| 1948 | -- | Ben Hogan |
