Jason Day first winner of Greg Norman Medal

Jason Day has won the inaugural Greg Norman Medal as the outstanding Australian professional golfer of 2015.

Day won the medal at a function held on the Gold Coast as part of Australian PGA Championship week.

He was the clear favorite after a year in which he won his first major championship and reached No. 1 in the world.

"Jason has stood out head and shoulders above all other players, both male and female, and he's a great representative of Australian golf," said Norman.

Day, whose wife Ellie recently gave birth to their second child, could not attend, being represented by his mother, Dening. In a statement via videolink, Day said: "It's an honour and a privilege to win the Greg Norman Medal, it caps off an amazing year.''

Day was one of eight nominees with Adam Scott, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Steven Bowditch, Karrie Webb, Minjee Lee and Rebecca Artis.

In other awards, Matthew Millar won the PGA Tour of Australasia's player of the year, and Su Oh the ALPG player of the year.

Jarrod Lyle won a 'courage award' from the US PGA Tour, presented by Ian Baker-Finch on the night. Lyle, who has survived two bouts of myeloid leukemia, said he would pass on the $25,000 prize to Challenge, the cancer network.