Bernhard Langer today became the first player to win the US Champions Tour Player of the Year for a fourth time after being voted the winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award.
His record victory in the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex at Royal Porthcawl was one of five wins for the former Ryder Cup captain as he won the player vote ahead of Colin Montgomerie and six other nominees.
"I'm thrilled to be voted by my peers as the Player of the Year,” said Langer. “Winning the Jack Nicklaus Award is a very satisfying accomplishment; a very meaningful achievement, especially with so many exceptional players on the Champions Tour. I figured I had a pretty strong case in the voting, but you never know until it’s actually announced.”
Langer previously won the Jack Nicklaus Award in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He won two Majors en route to capturing the season-long Charles Schwab Cup, which recognises the most consistent player, for the second time in his career, having won the trophy in 2010
“Bernhard had an amazing year,” said Champions Tour President Mike Stevens. “He won five tournaments, claimed the Charles Schwab Cup for a second time, set a multitude of new Champions Tour records and performed with incredible consistency, all the while displaying great sportsmanship and discipline. Bernhard is a fine example of a true champion.”
Langer was the only player to finish among the top ten in all five senior major championships this season. Along with wins at the Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex and the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS, Langer was tied ninth at the Regions Tradition, tied third at the Senior PGA and tied ninth at the U.S. Senior Open, the latter two won by Montgomerie.
Langer posted 18 top ten finishes in 21 starts, which included a streak of 20 consecutive top ten finishes dating back to the 2013 U.S. Senior Open (tied 14) and ended at the 2014 Encompass Championship (tied 20). Further testament to his remarkable consistency during the season was his Number One ranking in Greens In Regulation with an all-time record 78.35%.
Langer also won the Arnold Palmer Award as the Champions Tour’s leading money winner for a record sixth time in the last seven years, surpassing $3 million during the season for the first time in his Champions Tour career by earning $3,074,189 in 21 starts and setting the All-Time Record for earnings in a single season. The previous record was held by Hale Irwin who won $3,028,304 in 2002.
Furthermore he claimed the Byron Nelson Award as the Champions Tour scoring leader. With a 68.03 scoring average for the year, Langer recorded the second-best scoring average in Champions Tour history, bettered only by Fred Couples with a 67.96 scoring average in 2010.
Scott Dunlap was named the Champions Tour Rookie of the Year.
