Five nominated for PGA Tour Player of the Year

• By Randall Mell
• Nov 9, 2011 10:45 AM ET

Who is the 2011 PGA Tour Player of the Year?

Five players were officially nominated Wednesday with a vote of PGA Tour membership to determine who is awarded the Jack Nicklaus Trophy. The winner is expected to be announced around Dec. 12.

The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council and player directors named Keegan Bradley, Luke Donald, Bill Haas, Webb Simpson and Nick Watney as nominees. Notably, two-time winners Steve Stricker, Bubba Watson and Mark Wilson were not nominated.

Here are the nominees’ qualifications as summarized by the PGA Tour in its release:

Bradley – Entered 29 events during the 2011 season featuring playoff victories at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and the PGA Championship. Four top-10 finishes. Ranked 20^th on the final FedEx Cup points list and 13^th on the money list with $3,758,600.

Donald – Entered 19 events during the 2011 season featuring victories at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Led the Tour with 14 top-10 finishes including a playoff loss at The Heritage. Ranked third on the final FedEx Cup points list and first on the money list with $6,683,214, earning the Arnold Palmer Award.  Earned Byron Nelson Award and Vardon Trophy for lowest adjusted scoring average.

Haas – Entered 27 events during the 2011 season featuring a victory at the Tour Championship that clinched the overall FedExCup title. Seven top-10 finishes including playoff losses at the Bob Hope Classic and The Greenbrier Classic. Ranked first on the FedEx Cup points list and seventh on the money list with $4,088,637.

Simpson – Entered 26 events during the 2011 season featuring victories at the Wyndham Championship and a playoff victory at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Twelve top-10 finishes including playoff losses at the Zurich Classic and the McGladrey Classic. Ranked second on the FedEx Cup points list and second on the money list with $6,347,353.

Watney – Entered 23 events during the 2011 season featuring victories at the WGC-Cadillac Championship and the AT&T National. Had a total of 10 top-10 finishes. Ranked ninth on the final FedEx Cup points list and finished third on the money list with $5,290,673.