ESPN and ABC announced the annual ESPY Awards nominees on their July 11 shows, with four PGA Tour and LPGA players nominated.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda have been nominated in two categories each, while Lilia Boo and 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele have been nominated in one category each.
The former University of Texas Longhorns player is a candidate for Best Male Athlete and Best Golfer. Korda is nominated in the Best Female Athlete and Best Golfer categories. Vu and Schauffele join the field, bringing the number of Best Golfer nominees to four.
Last year, Scheffler was named Golfer of the Year, but can he keep the title? Scheffler is continuing his strong form in 2024, winning six times through July 1, second only to the incredible record set by Arnold Palmer in 1962.
The 28-year-old has won four of the eight PGA Tour signature events, his second Masters and the Players Championship in 2024. He will also represent Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Wyndham Clark.
When it comes to best male athlete, Scheffler has some tough competition. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid are also nominated for best male athlete along with Scheffler. All four have performed well for their teams over the past year, but can Scheffler become the first golfer since Tiger Woods to win the award?
Woods last won the award in 2008 following his dramatic victory at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Woods has won the award five times, making him the most decorated athlete in ESPY history, according to the PGA Tour.
That said, Korda has also been on a historic run, winning five consecutive tournaments, tying for seventh at the Cognizant Founders Cup and then winning her sixth title of the year at the Mizuho Americas Open.
Like Scheffler, Korda will represent the United States in Paris, competing in the women’s Olympic golf event alongside Vu and Rose Chan.
But Korda is competing with some strong field for the best athlete/female sports award, with Iowa’s Katelyn Clark, tennis phenom Coco Gauff and WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson, who plays for the Las Vegas Aces, all nominated alongside Korda.
The last female golfer to win the title was Annika Sorenstam in 2005 and 2006.
Last year was the first time that the Best Female Golfer and Best Male Golfer awards were combined into one category. Korda and Schauffele were both nominated last year but lost to Scheffler. This is Vu’s first ESPY nomination.
ABC will host ESPN’s annual awards ceremony on July 11 at 8pm ET. Fans can vote You can favorite it until July 11th at 5pm ET.
Savannah Lee Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow us for more golf articles. Follow You can follow us on all major social platforms. You can also follow us on Twitter Follow Instagram: @savannah_leigh_sports
