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Ben Hogan Award

Ben Hogan Award Announces 2020 Watch List

Thirty-one players recognized as top contenders for most prestigious college and amateur golf award

 

FORT WORTH, Texas (Feb. 19, 2020) – Thirty-one of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate golfers have been named to the 2020 Ben Hogan Award watch list, according to a joint announcement made by the Hogan Trophy Award Founda- tion, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

 

The Ben Hogan Award presented by Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) is given annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur com-petitions during a 12-month period from June to May.

 

The 2020 Ben Hogan Award watch list, as determined by the award’s subcommittee, includes: John Augenstein (Van- derbilt), John Axelsen (Florida), Ricky Castillo (Florida), Pierceson Coody (Texas), Quade Cummins (Oklahoma), Cooper Dossey (Baylor), Austin Eckroat (Oklahoma State), Carl Didrik Fosaas (Keiser), Noah Goodwin (SMU), Cole Hammer (Texas), Peter Kuest (BYU), Drew Mathers (Huntingdon), William Mouw (Pepperdine), Vincent Norrman (Georgia South- western), Andy Ogletree (Georgia Tech), John Pak (Florida State), Adrien Pendaries (Duke), David Perkins (Illinois State), Trent Phillips (Georgia), Mark Power (Wake Forest), Garrett Reband (Oklahoma), Jovan Rebula (Auburn), Matthias Schmid (Louisville), Sandy Scott (Texas Tech), Luke Schniederjans (Georgia Tech), Tyler Strafaci (Georgia Tech), Sahith Theegala (Pepperdine), Davis Thompson (Georgia), Jack Trent (UNLV), Trevor Werbylo (Arizona) and Chun An Yu (Arizona State).

 

Just eight players (Cummins, Hammer, Kuest, Phillips, Schmid, Schniederjans, Strafaci and Yu) are repeat members from the 2019 watch list. Two members, Hammer and Yu, were among the award’s 10 semifinalists a year ago.

 

This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled on Wednesday, April 15. That group will be pared down to three finalists in May, and the finalists will attend a black-tie dinner at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.

 

The Ben Hogan Award Selection Committee votes during each stage of the process. It is comprised of leaders in colle- giate, amateur and professional golf. The Ben Hogan Trophy was first issued in 1990 and also included academic achieve- ment in its original list of standards. In 2002, the Ben Hogan Award moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and revised its criteria to its current standard of honoring the outstanding amateur collegiate golfer.

 

Ben Hogan Award winners at Colonial have combined to accumulate 39 PGA TOUR victories and more than $240 million in prize money. Two winners are currently ranked in the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings, No. 3 Jon Rahm (2015- 16) and No. 6 Patrick Cantlay (2012), Other recipients include: Ricky Barnes (2003), Matt Every (2006), Rickie Fowler (2008), Doug Ghim (2018), Bill Haas (2004), Viktor Hovland (2019), Chris Kirk (2007), Hunter Mahan (2003), Maverick McNealy (2017), Ryan Moore (2005), Patrick Rodgers (2014), Kyle Stanley (2009), Nick Taylor (2010), D.J. Trahan (2002), Peter Uihlein (2011) and Chris Williams (2013).

 

To find the latest information on The Ben Hogan Award, its candidates and its previous winners, visit TheBenHoga- nAward.org and follow @BenHoganAward on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Watch List Candidates

 

John Augenstein, Vanderbilt, Sr., Owensboro, Ky. John Axelsen, Florida, Jr., Tølløse, Denmark Ricky Castillo, Florida, Fr., Yorba Linda, Calif. Pierceson Coody, Texas, So., Plano, Texas
Quade Cummins, Oklahoma, Sr., Weatherford, Okla. Cooper Dossey, Baylor, Sr., Austin, Texas
Austin Eckroat, Oklahoma State, Jr., Edmond, Okla. Carl Didrik Fosaas, Keiser, So., Vestskogen, Norway Noah Goodwin, SMU, Jr., Corinth, Texas
Cole Hammer, Texas, So., Houston, Texas
Peter Kuest, BYU, Sr., Fresno, Calif.
Drew Mathers, Huntingdon, Sr., Mobile, Ala.
William Mouw, Pepperdine, Fr., Chino, Calif.
Vincent Norrman, Georgia Southwestern, Jr., Stockholm, Sweden Andy Ogletree, Georgia Tech, Sr., Little Rock, Miss.John Pak, Florida State, Jr., Scotch Plains, N.J.
Adrien Pendaries, Duke, Jr., Neuilly-sur-Seine, France David Perkins, Illinois State, Sr., East Peoria, Ill.
Trent Phillips, Georgia, So., Inman, S.C.
Mark Power, Wake Forest, Fr., Kilkenny, Ireland
Garrett Reband, Oklahoma, Sr., Fort Worth, Texas
Jovan Rebula, Auburn, Sr., George, South Africa
Matthias Schmid, Louisville, Jr., Maxhvette, Germany
Luke Schniederjans, Georgia Tech, Sr., Powder Springs, Ga. Sandy Scott, Texas Tech, Sr., Nairn, Scotland
Tyler Strafaci, Georgia Tech, Sr., Davie, Fla.
Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine, Sr., Chino Hills, Calif.
Davis Thompson, Georgia, Jr., Auburn, Ala.
Jack Trent, UNLV, Jr., Sunshine Coast, Australia
Trevor Werbylo, Arizona, Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
Chun An Yu, Arizona State, Sr., Taoyuan, Taiwan

 

About the 2020 Watch List

 

  • The 2020 Ben Hogan Award watch list includes 14 seniors, 10 juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen.
  • A total of 24 colleges and universities are represented on the watch list. Six schools—Georgia Tech (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Oklahoma (2), Pepperdine (2) and Texas (2)—have multiple honorees.
  • Eight players (Quade Cummins, Cole Hammer, Peter Kuest, Trent Phillips, Matthias Schmid, Luke Schniederjans, Tyler Strafaci and Chun An Yu) are repeat members from the 2019 watch list.
  • Two members, Cole Hammer and Chun An Yu, were among the 10 semifinalists a year ago.
  • Eight schools represented on the watch list (Arizona, Arizona State, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma State, Texas, UNLV and Wake Forest) are home to previous Ben Hogan Award winners. Those eight schools have collected 13 awards in the 18 years it has been held at Colonial.
  • Five conferences have multiple golfers on the watch list, led by the ACC and Big 12 with seven apiece. The other leagues with multiple bids are the SEC (6), WCC (3) and Pac-12 (2).

 

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the FutureTM with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for thirteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, Linked In and Twitter.

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Renee Powell

Player Feature, Renee Powell — “I am my parent’s daughter.”

On February 11, the Golf Writers Association of America announced that Renee Powell, the second African-American player to play on the LPGA Tour and a pioneer known for her passion toward opening the game to all, is the recipient of the 2020 Charlie Bartlett Award, given to a playing professional for his/her unselfish contributions to the betterment of society. Read this article to hear Powell in her own words: read article.

 

Photo Credit: 1978 Focus on Sport

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Friends of Golf Honorees

FOG To Honor Broadcasters Including Vin Scully at April Event

Friends of Golf (FOG) announced that former CBS golf announcers, Gary McCord and Peter Kostis, will be the 2020 Honorees for the annual FOG Tournament to be held at the Bel-Air Country Club, Monday, April 27. The event will also feature legendary Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster, Vin Scully receiving the Ken Venturi “Spirit of Giving” Award. Konica Minolta is the title sponsor of the event.

 

McCord, a Southern California native who graduated from Riverside’s Ramona High School and starred on UC Riverside’s golf team, had a 33-year career with CBS. He won the NCAA Division II singles title before turning pro and winning three times as a professional. McCord appeared in the Kevin Costner golf classic, Tin Cup as himself and has authored two humorous books about golf.

 

Kostis, a Maine native who attended the University of New Hampshire on a football scholarship, also appeared in Tin Cup as the Costner character’s coach. Along with his broadcasting career which began in 1989, Kostis has also coached many golfers and celebrities including Dan Marino, Paul Casey, Steve Elkington, Chez Revie and Mike Schmidt. Along with McCord, he is a partner in the Kostis/McCord Learning Center in Scottsdale, AZ.

 

FOG Honorees of the past include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Loren Ochoa, Byron Nelson, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Annika Sorenstam, Lee Trevino, Kathy Whitworth, Johnny Miller and more recently Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka.

 

Scully is best known for his 67 years announcing Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers games, but also spent seven years broadcasting NFL games. He also announced golf events during the 70’s and 80’s and was on CBS’ Masters broadcast from 1975-1982. The list of honors Scully has received is lengthy and was capped when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 

Past Ken Venturi “Spirit of Giving” recipients include John Wooden, Jim Nantz, Digger Phelps, Peter Ueberroth, Greg Penske and Rick Taylor, President and CEO of Konica Minolta.

 

About Friends of Golf (FOG)
Friends of Golf (FOG) is the leading national non-profit organization providing a range of financial support, golf equipment, training resources and mentoring to boys and girls in youth golf organizations, young men and women in high schools, junior colleges, four-year colleges and universities throughout the United States.

 

Many have compared Friends of Golf’s (FOG) support of collegiate golf and the Ben Hogan Trophy to the role New York’s Downtown Athletic Club played in college football and the Heisman Trophy. In 2010, FOG’s commitment to college golf earned the organization the Golf Coaches Association of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. They were the first organization and only the fifth recipient of the prestigious award with the other four being Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus and Karsten Solheim. For more information visit friendsofgolf.org.

 

About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for thirteen consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America’s Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for eight consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit us online and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, Linked In and Twitter.

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