Rookie of the Year

2020 Rookie of the Year: There will be no Harry Golden Rookie of the Year for 2020 due to the complications created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rookie players will be eligible for the award in 2021.

2019 Rookie of the Year: Mykel Holliman

Mykel Holliman, a 27-year-old lefthander, reached the championship round in two events in 2019, including the USBC Masters where he lost in the title match to Jakob Butturff of Tempe, Ariz. Holliman also led Go Bowling! PBA Tour rookies in competition points and earnings ($36,580), easily out-distancing Greg Young of Viera, Florida, in the ROY voting.

Holliman’s other championship round appearance was a fifth-place finish in the Cheetah Championship which was part of PBA World Series of Bowling X. He also earned the distinction of becoming the first PBA rookie to be selected by a team in the PBA League (Motown Muscle).

As Rookie of the Year, Holliman received a $2,500 cash award from Chuck Gardner’s Bowl4Life Foundation and a $2,500 scholarship which is awarded by Bowl4Life to a youth bowler in Holliman’s name.

Previous Winners

Date Name
2019 Mykel Holliman
2018 Kamron Doyle
2017 Matt Sanders
2016 Francois
Lavoie
2015 Jesper Svensson
2014 Marshall Kent
2013 EJ Tackett
2012 Josh Blanchard
2011 Scott Norton
2010 Anthony LaCaze
2009 Jason Belmonte
2008 Rhino Page
2007 Billy Oatman
2006 Bill O'Neill
2005 Not awarded
2004 Chris Johnson
2003 Brad Angelo
2002 * Tommy Jones
2000 Joe Ciccone
1999 Paul Fleming
1998 Chris Barnes
1997 Anthony Lombardo
1996 C.K. Moore
1995 Billy Myers Jr.
1994 Tony Ament Jr.
1993 Mark Scroggins
1992 Jason Couch
1991 Ricky Ward
1990 Brad Kiszewski
1989 Steve Hoskins
1988 Rick Steelsmith
1987 Ryan Shafer
1986 Marc McDowell
1985 Tom Crites
1984 John Gant
1983 Toby Contreras
1982 Mike Steinbach
1981 Mark Fahy
1980 Pete Weber
1979 Mike Aulby
1978 Joseph Groskind
1977 Steve Martin
1976 Mike Berlin
1975 Guy Rowbury
1974 Cliff McNealy
1973 Steve Neff
1972 Tommy Hudson
1971 Tye Critchlow
1970 Denny Krick
1969 Larry Lichstein
1968 Bob McGregor
1967 Mike Durbin
1966 Bobby Cooper
1965 Jim Godman
1964 Jerry McCoy