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Friends of Golf (FOG) to Honor Rickie Fowler & Kay Cockerill at 46th Annual Charity Tournament

Posted on August 13, 2026

Five-Time U.S. Ryder Cup Member & Ben Hogan Trophy Award Winner Fowler Joins Two-Time U.S. Amateur Champion & UCLA Golf Legend Cockerill

Event Set for October 19th at Bel-Air Country Club

Los Angeles, CA (August 13, 2026) Friends of Golf (FOG) is set to honor PGA standout and California native Rickie Fowler and two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion and current TV commentator Kay Cockerill at its 46^th Annual Charity Golf Tournament, announced by FOG President Peter Best.

Both Fowler and Cockerill will be on hand and interviewed on October 19^th at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. For FOG’s 2026 Tournament, Konica Minolta proudly returns as Title Sponsor, continuing more than 15 years of support for junior golfers and helping to make the mission a reality.

Fowler, a five-time U.S. Ryder Cup team member and the former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, has won six PGA tournaments, including THE PLAYERS Championship of 2015, and has received over $55 million in estimated career earnings.

Known for his vibrant style and signature Sunday orange attire, Fowler won the 2008 Ben Hogan Award while playing for Oklahoma State. In 2011, Fowler launched The Rickie Fowler Foundation, with a primary mission to promote the game of golf and make it accessible to young people who might not have the financial means to participate.

Cockerill, who began as a walk-on to the UCLA golf team, became the first female golfer inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame. Cockerill went on to win both the 1986 and 1987 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships and was later inducted into the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Players Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Northern California Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2013, adding even more weight to her remarkable list of accolades.

After competing on the LPGA Tour, Cockerill was among the first commentators hired by Golf Channel at its launch in 1995. She has since built over 30 years of television experience, working as a commentator and analyst for Golf Channel, while also serving as an on-course commentator for NBC Sports and ESPN. Cockerill continues to be one of the most experienced and respected voices in golf broadcasting.

“We are thrilled to honor both Kay Cockerill and Rickie Fowler at our 46^th Annual Golf Tournament,” said FOG’s Best. “Both Kay and Rickie have made their mark on the game of golf both on and off the course. Kay is one of the greatest players in UCLA history, a longtime member of the LPGA Tour, and one of today’s top TV golf commentators. And Rickie is one of the best-known players on the PGA Tour, a five-time Ryder Cup member and a Ben Hogan Award winner. We are excited to celebrate both at this year’s FOG event at Bel-Air Country Club.”

Founded in 1979 by Eddie Merrins, the late legendary PGA golfer, UCLA men’s golf coach, and longtime teaching professional at Bel-Air Country Club, along with a group of philanthropic Los Angeles-area golfers, Friends of Golf (FOG, www.friendsofgolf.org) was established to make it possible for aspiring junior golfers (regardless of economic background) to play, compete, and excel in the game of golf.

Over the past four decades, FOG has donated more than $11 million to national and local colleges/universities, high schools, and other golf-focused organizations, and honored many of the game’s top players including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Lorena Ochoa, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Amy Alcott, and Juli Inkster.

FOG partners with the Golf Coaches Association of America and Colonial Country Club to honor the top collegiate male golfer with the Ben Hogan Trophy Award, and with The LPGA Foundation and Women’s Golf Coaches Association to recognize the top collegiate female golfer with the Dinah Shore Trophy each year, celebrating excellence in collegiate golf while inspiring and supporting the next generation of junior golfers.

ABOUT FRIENDS OF GOLF (FOG)

FOG makes it possible for aspiring junior golfers (irrespective of economic standing) to play, compete, and excel in this exceptional sport. The FOG mission is to support junior golfers with scholarships, team support, equipment, and like-minded organizations and foundations throughout the United States, whether they play for enjoyment or are pursuing a professional career.

Founded in 1979 by Eddie Merrins, the late legendary PGA golfer, UCLA men’s golf coach, and longtime teaching professional at Bel-Air Country Club, and a group of Los Angeles-area golfers.

Over the years, FOG has donated over $11 million to both national and local colleges, high schools, and other golf-focused organizations.

Friends of Golf, Inc. is recognized as a non-profit, tax-deductible organization through Federal I.D. #95-3668541 and the State of California Franchise Tax Board Organization #1058257. (www.friendsofgolf.org)

Vanderbilt University’s Lynn Lim Awarded 2026 Dinah Shore Trophy

Posted on July 6, 2026

in Special Announcements

Lim is honored for golf excellence, leadership and community service

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., June 26, 2026 – The LPGA Foundation and Friends of Golf (FOG) announced today that Lynn Lim, a senior from Vanderbilt University, is the recipient of the 2026 Dinah Shore Trophy celebrating her remarkable achievements on and off the golf course.

The Dinah Shore Trophy honors a top collegiate female golfer with a minimum 3.2 GPA,
participation in at least 50% of her team’s events, a score average of 78 or less, and demonstrated leadership and community impact.

“I am incredibly honored to be this year’s recipient of the Dinah Shore Trophy Award. This
recognition reflects the support and influence of so many people who have contributed to my
journey,” said Lim. “My coaches, teammates, professors, friends, and family inspire me to be an impactful person in every room I step into. Their guidance and belief are instrumental to my success, and I am honored to share this award with them.

“Further, I am deeply grateful to the LPGA, Friends of Golf, and all those who have carried forward Dinah Shore’s remarkable legacy of advancing and growing the women’s game. As a Vanderbilt alum, Dinah Shore continues to be an inspiration for the Vanderbilt program, and I am honored I can be a small part of her living legacy.”

A Tennessee native, Lim recently graduated with a 3.965 GPA and a Bachelor’s in Political Science. She never recorded a grade below A-minus in any course over her four years at Vanderbilt and was a four-time WGCA Academic All-American. Additionally, Lim received Dean’s List recognition every semester during her time at Vanderbilt.

Lim’s achievements in the classroom are equally matched by what she has done on the golf course. For example, in 2023 she became just the second Commodore in program history to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors. Lim took that momentum right into her sophomore season where she posted four total top-10 finishes and competed in all 11 events. As a junior, she shot a final-round, 3-under 69 to help the Commodores clinch the team title at the Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach. Lim ultimately saved her best performances for her final season, as she fired a school-record, 9-under 63 in the first round of the Clemson Invitational enroute to earning co-medalist honors and her first collegiate victory.

Due to her incredible performances, both academically and athletically during her senior year, Lim was named the SEC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She is just the second Commodore to earn that prestigious honor.

“We are incredibly proud of Lynn,” said Vanderbilt Head Coach Greg Allen. “This is a great honor for her and our program. What makes her special isn’t just the scores she posts or the accolades she earns—it’s the impact she has on everyone around her. She leads by example, supports her teammates, excels academically, and serves others with humility and grace. Throughout her career, she has been an exceptional ambassador for our team, our university, and women’s golf.

“The Dinah Shore Trophy recognizes the complete student-athlete, and she embodies that ideal in every way. While we are incredibly proud of all she has accomplished during her time here, I know her impact will extend far beyond her four years as student-athlete, and she will continue to be a wonderful ambassador for our program and Vanderbilt University for years to come.”

Lim graduated Magna Cum Laude and will be joining Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight LLP in
Washington, D.C., before attending law school.

“I believe student-athletes have a unique opportunity—not only during their collegiate careers, but throughout their lives—to serve as leaders, build connections, and create meaningful impact,” Lim explained. “I hope I capitalized on this privileged opportunity at Vanderbilt and left my community better than I found it. As I enter my next chapter of life, I look forward to contributing to something greater than myself and to continue being a high-impact individual.”

Established in 1994, shortly after the creation of The Ben Hogan Trophy to recognize the nation’s top male collegiate golfer, Friends of Golf honored its “First Lady of FOG,” the late Dinah Shore, by naming the women’s award in her honor. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and an honorary member of both the LPGA and the World Golf Hall of Fame, Shore was a passionate advocate for the game and for opportunities for women in golf.

Since its inception, The Dinah Shore Trophy has contributed more than $225,000 to women’s
collegiate golf programs across the country. This year, Friends of Golf is continuing that
commitment with a grant to Vanderbilt’s women’s golf program, which will be matched by the
LPGA Foundation.

Lim joins distinguished past recipients, including LPGA Tour players Stacy Lewis (University of Arkansas, 2007), Amy Olson (North Dakota State University, 2012), and Golf Channel personality Amanda Blumenherst (Duke University, 2008, 2009).

Koivun Becomes Third Two-Time Winner of Ben Hogan Award Presented by Baird

Posted on May 27, 2026

in Special Announcements

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 25, 2026) – Auburn junior Jackson Koivun has been named the winner of the 2026 Ben Hogan Award presented by Baird, becoming the third college golfer in history to win the award twice, a feat accomplished previously by Jon Rahm and Ludvig Aberg.

Koivun, who won the Ben Hogan Award as a freshman in 2024 and was a finalist in 2025, is ranked first in both the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and Clippd Scoreboard College Golf Ranking. He has held the WAGR No. 1 ranking for 47 consecutive weeks.

Koivun won six collegiate events this spring, which included three consecutive victories in April culminated by a win at the Southeastern Conference Championships. There, Koivun became the first golfer since 1967 to win three straight SEC individual crowns. In college events, he owned a 67.97 scoring average over 36 rounds with 25 rounds in the 60s. He also shared fourth place at the 2025 NCAA Championships, the first event of this Ben Hogan Award season.

In amateur play, he was a member of the U.S. Walker Cup and Arnold Palmer Cup teams and reached the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur. Koivun also played in five PGA TOUR events where he recorded four top-12 finishes, including top-5s at the Procore Championship and Wyndham Championship. He was the 2025 recipient of the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur.

The Ben Hogan Award annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months. The joint announcement was made by Fort Worth Colonial Charities (FWCC), the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

Koivun, along with finalists Ben James of Virginia and Preston Stout of Oklahoma State, were honored Monday night at a black-tie dinner at the TCU Legends Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Ben Hogan Award has honored the outstanding amateur collegiate golfer in Fort Worth since 2002. The original Ben Hogan Trophy, which featured different award criteria, was issued at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif., beginning in 1990. An esteemed international selection committee, comprised of 40 leaders in collegiate, amateur and professional golf, votes during each stage of the process.

Over the years, recipients of the Ben Hogan Award have combined to accumulate 70 PGA TOUR wins and amass more than $500 million in prize money on the tour. Since 2002, the Ben Hogan Award has donated more than $1.5 million to college golf programs and charitable organizations associated with youth golf.

Recipients include Ludvig Aberg (‘22, ‘23), Ricky Barnes (‘03), Patrick Cantlay (‘12), Luke Clanton (’25), Matt Every (‘06), Rickie Fowler (‘08), Doug Ghim (‘18), Bill Haas (‘04), Viktor Hovland (‘19), Chris Kirk (‘07), Jackson Koivun (’24, ‘26), Hunter Mahan (‘03), Maverick McNealy (‘17), Ryan Moore (‘05), John Pak (‘21), Jon Rahm (‘15, ‘16), Patrick Rodgers (‘14), Kyle Stanley (‘09), Nick Taylor (‘10), Sahith Theegala (‘20), D.J. Trahan (‘02), Peter Uihlein (‘11) and Chris Williams (‘13).

For more information on the Ben Hogan Award presented by Baird, visit TheBenHoganAward.org and follow @BenHoganAward on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For additional information on Baird, visit rwbaird.com and follow @rwbaird on Instagram and Twitter and Baird on Facebook.