Let’s take a look at some of the top candidates for the Arnold Palmer Award.
There were 28 rookies on the PGA Tour for the 2022-23 season, the same number that there were a year ago. It’s also the most since the Tour had 35 newbies for the 2011 season.
Of those 28, none made the 30-man field at the Tour Championship, the first time rookies were shut out of East Lake Golf Club since the 2020-21 season. Notably, there have never been more than two rookies in the season finale in the 17-year history of the FedEx Cup.
While plenty of these first-year players made some noise along the way this season, there can only be one Rookie of the Year. Players are still vying for the honor, as the FedEx Cup Fall series events count towards consideration.
There are three events left: the World Wide Technology Championship in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; the Butterfield Bermuda Championship in Bermuda and the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Ballots for Rookie of the Year will be sent out after the RSM.
For now, let’s take a look at some of the top candidates for the Arnold Palmer Award with their FedEx Cup ranking in parentheses.
In Norrman’s 14th appearance on the DP World Tour, he now has two wins.
Halfway throught the final round of the 2023 Horizon Irish Open, the top of the leaderboard showed a four-way tie for the lead as Vincent Normann, Grant Forrest, Hurly Long and Ryan Fox were all at 13 under at The K Club in Kildare, Ireland.
Min Woo Lee and Jordan Smith were just a shot back, with Rory McIlroy, Shubhankar Sharma, Shane Lowry and Connor Syme all giving chase, two shots back.
The stage was set for a fantastic finish and Vincent Norrman delivered. The winner of his first PGA Tour event in July bogeyed the 13th hole in each of the first three rounds, but he made birdie there Sunday, one of seven birdies in a bogey-free, 7-under 65 final round. He started the day six shots back but had six of his birdies during an eight-hole stretch on Nos. 7 through 14 to climb into contention.
Vincent Norrman plays his second shot on the 18th hole during the final round at the 2023 Horizon Irish Open at The K Club in Kildare, Ireland. (Photo: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Norrman closed his day with a short birdie on 18 and walked off the course tied for the lead at 14 under and then played the waiting game. About 90 minutes later, he was monitoring the closing moments of the tournament on his phone on the practice putting green, waiting to see if Long could eagle the par-5 closing hole to tie and force a playoff.
But Long could not drain the eagle putt, clinching the win for Norrman by a shot. In his 14th appearance on the DP World Tour, Norrman now has two wins.
“It means everything,” Norrman said after his round. “Obviously such a cool event to play. The fans have been incredible. I’ve really had a fun week.”
It’s the second week in a row a Swedish player has won on the DP World Tour. Ludvig Aberg won the Omega European Masters seven days ago.
Long nabbed solo second at 13 under. Forrest, Fox, Lowry and Thriston Lawrence tied for third at 12 under.
McIlroy had a bad back nine Sunday. He was even through 10 before dunking his approach into a stream on the 11th hole, leading to a bogey. He birded the 13th but after trying to reach the par-5 16th in two, he hit another ball into the water, leading to a triple bogey on the hole. A day after posting 66, McIlroy closed with a birdie but shot a 74 and tied for 13th, his first finish outside the top 10 in any tournament since May.
“Obviously if you win, you’re doing something good,” Norrman said. “It’s a world-class event, and honestly I can’t believe it’s happened.”
The DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth is next week.
Vincent Norrman became the second Swede on Sunday to win at the highest level.
A couple hours after Linn Grant won on the LPGA for the first time, Norrman won his first PGA Tour event, claiming the 2023 Barbasol Championship.
Norrman bogeyed the par-4 18th to finish at 22 under and he was shaky from tee to green on the closing hole. Nonetheless, he made a putt when he needed to in order to force some extra golf and when they replayed the 18th on the first hole of the playoff against Nathan Kimsey, Norrman parred it while Kimsey posted a bogey.
Norrman started the day a shot back but shot a final-round 66 – including 30 on his front nine – to post his ninth straight under par round.
“I don’t think I can process this for a while. I’m lost for words,” he said of winning the tournament. “It’s amazing.”
Norrman won $684,000 for winning the opposite-field event. In 22 previous starts on the Tour, his career earnings were $789,768.
