DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JUNE 29: Aldrich Potgieter of South Africa celebrates after winning the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on June 29, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
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The PGA Tour announced on Wednesday it’s five finalists for 2025 Rookie of the Year. Finalists were nominated by the PGA Tour Player Directors and the Player Advisory Counsel (PAC). Over the next week, PGA Tour members who played in a minimum of 15 official FedEx Cup events will vote and a winner will be announced. Below are the five finalists and some of their resumes from the 2025 season.
Aldrich Potgieter
The odds on favorite to win the award, the long-hitting Potgieter led the PGA Tour in driving distance this season. He used that power to win the Rocket Classic in Detroit. That win was on the heels of a playoff loss at the Mexico Open earlier in the season.
Potgieter was the only rookie on the PGA Tour in 2025 to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Although he only made the cut in 9 of his 26 events played, his win and playoff loss will make him the heavy favorite to win the award. Potgieter finished the FedEx Cup fall 56th place in the standings. He currently sits at 79th in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – JULY 13: William Mouw hits an approach shot on the 18th hole on day four of the ISCO Championship 2025 at Hurstbourne Country Club on July 13, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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William Mouw
Winner of the ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Mouw was propelled to a one-shot win with a final round 61 (-9). The former Pepperdine product, Mouw also had two other top 10 finishes this season at the 3M Open and Puerto Rico Open.
For the season, Mouw made the cut in 14 of his 24 events played and finished the season in 89th place on the FedEx Cup fall standings. He is currently ranked 114th in the OWGR.
JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – OCTOBER 05: Steven Fisk of the United States plays his shot from the 18th tee during the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship 2025 at The Country Club of Jackson on October 05, 2025 in Jackson, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
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Steven Fisk
Steven Fisk had a very solid rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2025 making the cut in 16 of the 27 events he teed it up in. His solid play culminated in a victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi this fall.
For the season, Fisk had one other top 10 finish, which came at the Puerto Rico Open. He finished the season in 73rd place on the FedEx Cup fall standings. Fisk’s currently ranked 105th in the OWGR.
RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO – MARCH 09: Karl Vilips of Australia celebrates after winning the Puerto Rico Open 2025 at Grand Reserve Golf Club on March 09, 2025 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Karl Vilips
Karl Vilips, a Stanford graduate and wearer of Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red brand, is another finalist for the Rookie of the Year award. Vilips won the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour victory and made the cut in 12 of the 21 starts he made in 2025 on the PGA Tour.
Besides the win, he also had a top 10 finish while teaming up with Michael Thorbjornsen in New Orleans at the Zurich Classic. Vilips finished the FedEx Cup fall season at number 100 in the standings. He currently is ranked 141st in the OWGR.
ST GEORGE, UTAH – OCTOBER 25: Michael Brennan of the United States plays his shot from the third tee during the third round of the Bank of Utah Championship 2025 at Black Desert Resort on October 25, 2025 in St George, Utah. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
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Michael Brennan
Michael Brennan took the golf world by storm this fall as he won the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert. Brennan only played in four events on the PGA Tour in 2025, but still finds himself a finalist for Rookie of the Year after a blistering fall season.
Besides becoming just the seventh player since 1970 to win a PGA Tour tournament within his first three starts with his win in Utah, Brennan made the cut in all four events that he played in. Despite playing in just four events, Brennan finished the season as the 98th ranked player in the FedEx Cup fall standings. He is currently ranked 35th in the OWGR.
Mike is a founding member of Break80 Golf and a contributing golf and sports writer for Forbes with PGA Tour and LIV Golf media credentials.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikefore/2025/12/04/pga-tour-names-rookie-of-the-year-finalists/
