35 Players Highlighted on 2025 Ben Hogan Award Watch List
FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 29, 2025) – Thirty-five of the nation’s most accomplished golfers across college golf have been named to the watch list for the 2025 Ben Hogan Award. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
The 2025 Ben Hogan Award watch list, as determined by the award’s subcommittee, includes Josele Ballester (Arizona State), Adam Bresnu (Odessa), Jackson Buchanan (Illinois), Sungyeop Cho (Colorado Christian), Luke Clanton (Florida State), Dominic Clemons (Alabama), Pablo Ereño (UCLA), Ethan Fang (Oklahoma State), David Ford (North Carolina), Josiah Gilbert (Auburn), Ian Gilligan (Florida), Drew Goodman (Oklahoma), Max Herendeen (Illinois), Ben James (Virginia), Jackson Koivun (Auburn), Michael La Sasso (Ole Miss), Bryan Lee (Virginia), Christiaan Maas (Texas), Ashton McCullouch (Michigan State), Jacob Modleski (Notre Dame), Omar Morales (UCLA), Tommy Morrison (Texas), Sebastian Moss (Louisville), Jake Peacock (USF), Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Calum Scott (Texas Tech), Lance Simpson (Tennessee), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State), Hiroshi Tai (Georgia Tech), Cameron Tankersley (Ole Miss), Jack Turner (Florida), Brendan Valdes (Auburn), Jackson Van Paris (Vanderbilt), Kieron Van Wyk (Charleston) and Connor Williams (Arizona State).
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 list includes 16 seniors, 10 juniors and nine sophomores. Nine schools have multiple golfers on the watch list, led by Arizona State and Auburn, with three each.
Several players have past ties to the award, including Koivun, the 2024 Ben Hogan Award recipient, and Sargent, a two-time finalist (2023 and 2024). In addition, Ford was a semifinalist each of the past two years, while Clanton, James and Summerhays were semifinalists a year ago.
An esteemed selection committee votes during each stage of the process. The selection committee is comprised of more than 30 leaders in collegiate, amateur and professional golf.
This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled Thursday, April 17. That group will be pared down to three finalists on Tuesday, May 6. The finalists will attend a black-tie dinner Monday, May 19, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.
The Ben Hogan Award has honored the outstanding amateur collegiate golfer at Colonial Country Club since 2002. Prior to its move to Fort Worth, the original Ben Hogan Trophy, which was awarded based on a different list of criteria, was issued at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles beginning in 1990.
Over the years, recipients of the Ben Hogan Award have combined to accumulate 85 worldwide victories, including 68 PGA TOUR wins, and have amassed more than $450 million in prize money on the PGA TOUR. Additionally, the group has combined to make 17 Ryder Cup appearances and a dozen in Presidents Cups.
Past recipients are Ludvig Aberg (‘22, ‘23), Ricky Barnes (‘03), Patrick Cantlay (‘12), Matt Every (‘06), Rickie Fowler (‘08), Doug Ghim (‘18), Bill Haas (‘04), Viktor Hovland (‘19), Chris Kirk (‘07), Jackson Koivun (’24), 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).
Since 2002, the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation has awarded over $1 million in scholarships to more than 30 universities. For more information on the Ben Hogan Award, visit TheBenHoganAward.org and follow @BenHoganAward on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
2025 Watch List Candidates
Josele Ballester, Arizona State, Sr., Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Adam Bresnu, Odessa, So., Rabat, Morocco
Jackson Buchanan, Illinois, Sr., Dacula, Ga.
Sungyeop Cho, Colorado Christian, So., Yeoju-si, South Korea
Luke Clanton, Florida State, Jr., Hialeah, Fla.
Dominic Clemons, Alabama, Jr., Cambridge, England
Pablo Ereño, UCLA, Sr., Madrid, Spain
Ethan Fang, Oklahoma State, So., Plano, Texas
David Ford, North Carolina, Sr., Peachtree Corners, Ga.
Josiah Gilbert, Auburn, So., Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Ian Gilligan, Florida, Sr., Reno, Nev.
Drew Goodman, Oklahoma, Sr., Norman, Okla.
Max Herendeen, Illinois, So., Bellevue, Wash.
Ben James, Virginia, Jr., Milford, Conn.
Jackson Koivun, Auburn, So., Chapel Hill, N.C.
Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss, Jr., Raleigh, N.C.
Bryan Lee, Virginia, Jr., Fairfax, Va.
Christiaan Maas, Texas, Jr., Pretoria, South Africa
Ashton McCullouch, Michigan State, Sr., Kingston, Ontario
Jacob Modleski, Notre Dame, So., Noblesville, Ind.
Omar Morales, UCLA, Sr., Puebla, Mexico
Tommy Morrison, Texas, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Sebastian Moss, Louisville, Sr., Pearland, Texas
Jake Peacock, USF, Sr., Milton, Ga.
Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.
Calum Scott, Texas Tech, Sr., Nairn, Scotland
Lance Simpson, Tennessee, Jr., Knoxville, Tenn.
Preston Summerhays, Arizona State, Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz.
Hiroshi Tai, Georgia Tech, Jr., Singapore, The Republic of Singapore
Cameron Tankersley, Ole Miss, Jr., Dickson, Tenn.
Jack Turner, Florida, So., Orlando, Fla.
Brendan Valdes, Auburn, Sr., Orlando, Fla.
Jackson Van Paris, Vanderbilt, Sr., Pinehurst, N.C.
Kieron Van Wyk, Charleston, Sr., Ruimsig, South Africa
Connor Williams, Arizona State, So., Escondido, Calif.
