University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Tanigawa Named PGA TOUR Champions Rookie of the Year
January 16, 2019 | Men's Golf
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Bruin alum Ken Tanigawa was voted the 2018 PGA TOUR Champions Rookie of the Year, as announced on Tuesday evening at the PGA TOUR Champions Annual Awards Dinner held at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
Tanigawa recorded three Top 10s in his rookie season, picking up a victory at the PURE Insurance Championship. He trailed by one shot heading to the par-5 18th at Pebble Beach Golf Links, but made a 35-foot eagle putt to earn the win. Tanigawa finished 30th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings and placed 25th on the money list in 2018.
"Last year was a dream season for me and I'm very grateful to be named Rookie of the Year," Tanigawa told the PGA TOUR Champions website. "I proved a lot to myself and loved competing alongside some of the game's best players, and I can't wait for my second season on PGA TOUR Champions."
Tanigawa earned fully-exempt status for the 2018 season through Q-School in 2017. An accomplished amateur golfer, he twice won the Arizona Amateur (2015, 2017) and was runner-up in 2016. Before that, Tanigawa's professional career included one season on the Web.com Tour in 2003.
Tanigawa is fully exempt for the 2019 PGA TOUR Champions season, which gets underway this weekend at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.
