Seven first-time semifinalists are among the remaining 10 nominees for the 2019 Ben Hogan Award presented by Konica Minolta.
The Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) announced the 10 contenders for college golf’s player of the year.
- Will Gordon, senior, Vanderbilt
- Cole Hammer, freshman, Texas
- Viktor Hovland, junior, Oklahoma State
- Collin Morikawa senior, California
- Bryson Nimmer, senior, Clemson
- Alex Smalley, senior Duke
- Justin Suh, senior Southern California
- Matthew Wolff, sophomore, Oklahoma State
- Brandon Wu, senior, Stanford
- Chun An Yu, junior, Arizona State
Morikawa finished as a finalist in 2018 and a semifinalist in 2017. Hovland, who was the low amateur at the Masters last week, was a semifinalist last year, as was Suh. Cole Hammer is the first freshman semifinalist since Florida’s Sam Horsfield in 2016.
Former winners of the Ben Hogan Award include Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm (2015, 2016) and Patrick Cantlay (2012).
The Ben Hogan Award is presented annually in May to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer. Collegiate and amateur competitions over the last 12 months are taken into consideration. 30 people comprise the award’s selection committee, which votes during each stage of the process. The committee includes experts in professional, amateur and collegiate golf.
Three finalists will be announced on Thursday, May 2.
