Photos of the award winners can be found here.
KA’UPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – PGA TOUR Champions announced today that 2025 Charles Schwab Cup Champion Stewart Cink has claimed the Jack Nicklaus Award as Player of the Year, while Tommy Gainey has been named the Hale Irwin Award winner as PGA TOUR Champions Rookie of the Year. The honors were presented at the PGA TOUR Champions Annual Awards Dinner, held last night during the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Cink, an eight-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2009 Open Championship, won three times on PGA TOUR Champions in 2025, including the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Gainey, who won the 2012 RSM Classic during his TOUR career, played his way onto PGA TOUR Champions via open qualifiers and top-10s before securing his breakthrough win at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS in his fifth start on Tour.
“On behalf of PGA TOUR Champions, I would like to congratulate Stewart Cink and Tommy Gainey on their tremendous achievements, and for earning these prestigious honors through a vote of their peers. Stewart has long been one of the top players in our sport, and it was fantastic to watch him win the Charles Schwab Cup to cap off a breakout season on our Tour,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Miller Brady. “Tommy showed true grit in advancing through a number of open qualifiers on his way to the winner’s circle in Jacksonville, and I know he takes great pride in securing Rookie of the Year honors.”
The Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards are determined by a member vote, with PGA TOUR Champions members who played in at least 11 official events during the 2025 season eligible to vote. Cink earned the Jack Nicklaus Award over three other nominees: Steven Alker, Ángel Cabrera and Miguel Ángel Jiménez. Gainey received the Hale Irwin Award over three other nominees: Freddie Jacobson, Søren Kjeldsen and Tag Ridings.
In just his second full season on PGA TOUR Champions, Cink opened his 2025 campaign with four straight top-10s, including a T2 at the Hoag Classic. At the Insperity Invitational in May, he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat World Golf Hall of Fame member Retief Goosen for his second career Champions Tour title. Top-three finishes at the Kaulig Companies Championship, U.S. Senior Open and Boeing Classic gave way to win No. 2 on the year at The Ally Challenge, where he successfully defended his 2024 title after defeating Hall of Famer Ernie Els in a playoff. Cink, 52, entered the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship at No. 3 in the Schwab Cup standings, but posted rounds of 64-68-65-67—264 (20-under) to defeat Alker by two shots for his third win of the year, as well as the season-long Schwab Cup title.
“I am thrilled to be named PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year and to receive the prestigious Jack Nicklaus Award. It is humbling to think of some of the game’s all-time greats who have earned this honor before me, and to know it came by a vote of my peers makes it even more special,” said Cink. “I began the 2025 season with the lofty goal of winning the Charles Schwab Cup. Realizing that goal and now being voted Player of the Year will rank among the very top of my career achievements. I am incredibly blessed to compete on PGA Tour Champions and excited to begin the 2026 season.”
Gainey’s rookie campaign saw him make just nine starts after turning 50 on August 13, with one win and two additional top-10s on the year. The former RSM Classic winner successfully open qualified four times on PGA TOUR Champions before finally entering the winner’s circle at the Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS in October, where he defeated Cameron Percy by two shots.
“It is an honor to be named Rookie of the Year and receive the Hale Irwin Award. I have been looking forward to playing the Champions Tour with some of these legends for a number of years now, and to earn my first win at Jim Furyk’s event is something I’ll never forget moving forward in my career. I truly thank God for everything,” said Gainey.
Two-time Charles Schwab Cup Champion Steven Alker earned the 2025 Byron Nelson Award for the third time (2022, 2024), presented annually to the PGA TOUR Champions player with the lowest scoring average. Alker finished the season with a 68.42 scoring average, narrowly beating out Cink and Jiménez, who finished at 68.77 and 68.80, respectively.
Stewart Cink– Player of the Year
2025 Charles Schwab Cup Champion
2025 Jack Nicklaus Award (Player of the Year)
2025 Arnold Palmer Award (Season Money Winner)
2025 Season Summary: three victories, 15 top-10 finishes in 21 starts
2025 Wins: Insperity Invitational, The Ally Challenge, Charles Schwab Cup Championship
2025 Scoring Average: 68.77 (second)
2025 Winnings: $3,247,147 (first)
Tommy Gainey – Rookie of the Year
2025 Hale Irwin Rookie of the Year
2025 Season Summary: one victory, 3 top-10 finishes in nine starts
2025 Win: Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS
2025 Winnings: $794,653 (29th)
Finished 24th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings
The 2026 PGA TOUR Champions season begins on Thursday, January 22, with the first round of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. For more information on PGA TOUR Champions, please visit PGATOURChampions.com.
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, on Facebook, on Twitter (@ChampionsTour), on Instagram (@pgatourchampions), and on TikTok (pgatourchampions).
All events are televised in the United States on GOLF Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, PGA TOUR Champions coverage is available in more than 170 countries and territories via 22 media partners.