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 |