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10 Semifinalists Named for 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank

FORT WORTH, Texas (April 17, 2024) – The Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, Friends of Golf (FOG) and Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) have announced the 10 semifinalists for the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank, which 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.

Determined by voting from the award’s selection committee, the 2024 Ben Hogan Award semifinalists are Luke Clanton (Florida State), Wenyi Ding (Arizona State), David Ford (North Carolina), Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida), Ben James (Virginia), Jackson Koivun (Auburn), Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech), Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State) and Michael Thorbjornsen (Stanford).

The list includes three seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen. Four conferences are home to semifinalists, led by the ACC with four honorees. The other leagues represented are the Pac-12 (three), SEC (two) and ASUN (one).

Sargent and Thorbjornsen were two of the three Ben Hogan Award finalists last year, while Ford (2023), Gabrelcik (2021, 2023) and Lamprecht (2023) are previous semifinalists. Arizona State is the lone school with multiple semifinalists (Ding, Summerhays).

The three finalists selected from this list of 10 golfers will be named on Tuesday, May 7. The finalists will attend a black-tie dinner Monday, May 20, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned as the Charles Schwab Challenge week kicks off.

The Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank 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.

An esteemed selection committee, comprised of more than 30 leaders in collegiate, amateur and professional golf, votes during each stage of the process.

Recipients of the Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank have combined to accumulate 88 worldwide victories, including 66 PGA TOUR wins, and have amassed more than $420 million in prize money on the PGA TOUR. Additionally, the group has appeared in 17 Ryder Cups and a dozen Presidents Cups.

Past recipients are Ludvig Åberg (‘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), 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 $875,000 in scholarships to more than 30 universities. For more information on the Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank, visit TheBenHoganAward.org and follow @BenHoganAward on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

2024 Semifinalists

Luke Clanton, Florida State, So., Hialeah, Fla.

Wenyi Ding, Arizona State, Fr., Beijing, China

David Ford, North Carolina, Jr., Peachtree Corners, Ga.

Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida, Sr., Trinity, Fla.

Ben James, Virginia, So., Milford, Conn.

Jackson Koivun, Auburn, Fr., Chapel Hill, N.C.

Christo Lamprecht, Georgia Tech, Sr., George, South Africa

Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt, Jr., Birmingham, Ala.

Preston Summerhays, Arizona State, Jr., Scottsdale, Ariz.

Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford, Sr., Wellesley, Mass.

Gregg Grost to Receive 2024 Eddie Merrins Award

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 27, 2024) – The Ben Hogan Award Foundation and Friends of Golf (FOG) have selected Gregg Grost, a former national champion college golf coach at Oklahoma and past Executive Director and CEO of the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), as the recipient of the 2024 Eddie Merrins Award.

Recipients of the Eddie Merrins Award are to be highly regarded for their service, dedication and contributions to college and amateur golf while upholding the highest standards, values and ethics of the game.

“From a standout coaching career to directing the GCAA, Gregg certainly has put his stamp on college golf for more than 40 years,” said Harold Muckleroy, Chairman of the Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. “We are pleased to honor him and all of his contributions to the sport.”

Grost led the GCAA for more than two decades beginning in 2000. During Grost’s tenure (2000-23), GCAA membership doubled in size to more than 850 members. Along with the WGCA (Women’s Golf Coaches Association), the GCAA has also grown its national convention attendance from fewer than 150 to more than 340.

Additionally, the Arnold Palmer Cup expanded from a competition between eight US men’s college golfers versus their counterparts from GB&I to an event that includes men’s and women’s college golfers from around the globe.

Prior to heading up the GCAA, Grost spent two decades as a college head golf coach, helping his teams earn NCAA berths in 17 of his 20 seasons. In addition, he coached 19 players to a total of 33 All-America honors.

Fifteen of his years were spent at Oklahoma (1986-2000), where he led the Sooners to a national title in 1989. That season, Oklahoma won a school-record seven tournaments, including the NCAA Championships, and Grost was named the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year. In all, his teams won or shared three Big Eight Conference titles (1989, 1992 and 1996).

Prior to Oklahoma, Grost guided Lamar to three Southland Conference Championships (1982, 1983 and 1985) and he earned the first of his two National Coach of the Year Awards in 1985. He joined the coaching ranks as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Dan Rogas at Lamar in 1981.

Grost, who was inducted into the GCAA Hall of Fame in 2005, has a long association in college golf, beginning his playing career at McLennan Community College under Hall of Fame coach Jimmy Clayton before playing for coach Mel Thomas and graduating from TCU.

Created in 2022, the Eddie Merrins Award is issued annually at the Ben Hogan Award Dinner to an individual who has made significant and lasting contributions to college and amateur golf. Previous winners of the award include Merrins (2022) and Bill Montigel (2023).

The founder of FOG, Merrins was instrumental in the formation of the Ben Hogan Trophy, which was first issued at Bel-Air Country Club in 1990. Affectionately known as “The Little Pro,” he stayed involved as a key figure in the award following its move to Colonial in 2002. Merrins passed away on Nov. 22, 2023.

Grost will receive the honor at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, May 20. The winner of the 2024 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank, which honors the college and amateur golfer of the year, will also be announced that evening at the black-tie dinner featuring the award’s three finalists.