Well, this is awkward.

On Monday, the PGA Tour released the finalists into the Feuille Nicklaus player of the time around award , nominating a lot of men for their extraordinary years and, in turn, their positive effects to the PGA Tour. Still , there was, naturally, just one condition: one of the nominees has for the reason that sworn his allegiance the particular Tour’s enemy, LIV Golf game.

The See listed Cameron Smith, those reigning Players Championship successful, alongside Masters champ Scottie Scheffler and Tour Tournament winner Rory McIlroy as finalists to find Nicklaus Award. This, that Smith’s announcement last Wednesday that he would be leaving the main PGA Tour for a branded $100 million payday to join the Saudi-backed rivals.

Smith, the World No . 2, had the best your time of his career as 2022, winning three times additionally collecting more than $10 several in on-course earnings. Later opening the season with a result at the Sentry Tournament over Champions, Smith closed away a wonderful (and weird) 1 week at the Players Championship that has a nervy win in front of his own family in his adopted home town, leading a tearful affair with family in the Tour’s biggest event. With the goof off his back, your lover stormed back to win you see, the one hundred and fiftieth Open Championship in July, leapfrogging Rory McIlroy with five immediately birdies down the back hunting for to claim his first prime championship.

In late August, after simple of rumors, the 29-year-old Aussie finally announced he previously signed on to join LIV Golf, joining his good guy countryman and mentor — LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman — in the younger league. He competed at last last weekend in LIV Boston, finishing tied towards 4th as the captain behind his all-Australian team, Bargain GC.

Even though the biggest season of fast career, Smith remains the perfect longshot to win one particular award. Scheffler had probably one of the most dominant years in recent memories, winning three times in addition to the Artists, ascending to World No . 1, and generally establishing their self as one of the sport’s most blessed players. Behind him, McIlroy enjoyed a resurgence of his very own, nabbing this third coupled with final victory of the 2021-22 season at the Tour Great and taking home their event’s $18 million very prize for the third time in his pro career.

Scheffler, McIlroy since Smith were announced beside the nominees for PGA Tour rookie of the especially, Cameron Young, Sahith Theegala, and Tom Kim. The members who competed in minimally 15 events will be eligible to participate in the voting meant for both player of the the year and rookie of the year this week. Previous winners of those award include Patrick Cantlay (’20-21), Dustin Johnson (’19-20), and Rory Mcilroy (’18-19). The voting closes available at 5 p. m. attached to Friday, September 9, or a winner will be announced at some future date.

James Colgan

Golf. apresentando Editor

Fred Colgan is an assistant editing tool at GOLF, contributing content pieces for the website and periodical. He writes the Hot Microphone stand, GOLF’s weekly media backbone, and utilizes his air experience across the brand’s user generated content and video platforms. A great 2019 graduate of Syracuse University, James — and thus evidently, his golf game — is still defrosting from quite a few years in the snow. Ahead of joining GOLF, James was obviously a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Longisland, where he is from. They can be reached at adam. colgan@golf. com.