Scheffler named PGA Tour player of the year

Following arguably the most dominant year of golf since Tiger Woods was in his prime, Scottie Scheffler received the PGA Tour Player of the Year award on Tuesday night.

It's the third straight year Scheffler has won the honour, and the World No 1 joins Woods as the only players to win the Jack Nicklaus Award three years in a row.

The award is determined by a vote of PGA Tour members. According to a news release, Scheffler received 91 per cent of the vote, with Xander Schauffele and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy the only other nominees.

Scheffler, 28, was the first player to win seven official PGA Tour events in a calendar year since Tiger Woods in 2007. Those victories were at some of the most prestigious events on the schedule, against some of the most elite fields.

He became the first player to go back-to-back at The Players Championship, won his second career major title at the Masters and earned his other five wins at signature events: the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the RBC Heritage, the Memorial Tournament, the Travelers Championship and the season-ending Tour Championship.

Though not a tour event, Scheffler captured the Olympic gold medal for men's golf at the Paris Games. He also helped the United States defeat the International team at the Presidents Cup in Montreal.

"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," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.