Xander Schauffele got started late, but he closed like a boss with wins at the Greenbrier Classic and Tour Championship to take home the 2016-17 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award. Schauffele had one of the great rookie seasons in recent history, and he touched it off with a big win (and a lot of cash) at East Lake.

Schauffle actually didn't start the season all that well. He had one top 10 before June -- a T5 at the Sanderson Farms Classic -- but then he finished T5 at the U.S. Open and rode that heater all the way until the end by becoming the first rookie to win the Tour Championship.

Players who played in at least 15 events last season were eligible to vote, and Schauffele was likely a unanimous winner. The only rookie who even came close to him was Wesley Bryan, and Schauffele blew him away at the end of the year. Schauffele only had four top 10s on the season, but he made the most of them with two wins and $4.3 million in earnings. Bryan, on the other hand, had five top 10s but just one win and $2.5 million in earnings. 

Schauffele joins a pretty elite list of recent winners of this award including three-time major winner Jordan Spieth and Presidents Cup participants Rickie Fowler, Marc Leishman, Daniel Berger and Emiliano Grillo.

YearPGA Tour Rookie of the Year

2017

Xander Schauffele

2016

Emiliano Grillo

2015

Daniel Berger

2014

Chesson Hadley

2013

Jordan Spieth

2012

John Huh

2011

Keegan Bradley

2010

Rickie Fowler

2009

Marc Leishman

2008

Andres Romero