FORT WORTH, Texas (Jan. 27, 2023) – Thirty-seven of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate golfers across all levels have been named to the watch list for the 2023 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank. 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 Ben Hogan Award presented by PNC Bank 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. Three of the top 12 players in the Official World Golf Ranking—No. 3 Jon Rahm (2015, 2016), No. 5 Patrick Cantlay (2012) and No. 11 Viktor Hovland (2019) —are past recipients of the honor, while No. 8 Collin Morikawa (2018, 2019) was a two-time finalist.
The 2023 Ben Hogan Award watch list, as determined by the award’s subcommittee, features Ludvig Aberg (Texas Tech), Leon Acikalin (Arizona Christian), Cole Anderson (Florida State), Sam Bennett (Texas A&M), Fred Biondi (Florida), Ryan Burnett (North Carolina), Dominic Clemons (Hutchinson Community College), Charles DeLong (Grand Valley State), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (Illinois), Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (Arkansas), David Ford (North Carolina), Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida), Austin Greaser (North Carolina), Derek Hitchner (Pepperdine), Ben James (Virginia), Connor Jones (Colorado State), Tommy Kuhl (Illinois), Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech), Bryce Lewis (Tennessee), Yuxin Lin (Florida), Christiaan Maas (Texas), Dylan Menante (North Carolina), Maxwell Moldovan (Ohio State), William Mouw (Pepperdine), Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Oklahoma State), Greg Odom (Howard), Alex Price (Christopher Newport), Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt), Calum Scott (Texas Tech), Herman Sekne (Purdue), Cole Sherwood (Vanderbilt), Garrison Smith (New Mexico State), Ross Steelman (Georgia Tech), Preston Summerhays (Arizona State), Caleb Surratt (Tennessee), Michael Thorbjornsen (Stanford) and Travis Vick (Texas).
The list includes 20 seniors, eight juniors, six sophomores and three freshmen. Two award finalists from 2022 return with Aberg, the reigning Ben Hogan Award winner, and Bennett. In addition, Thorbjornsen was a semifinalist last year.
Nine schools have multiple golfers on the watch list, led by North Carolina with four. Programs with two players on the watch list are Florida, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Pepperdine, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt.
This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled Friday, April 14. That group will be pared down to three finalists on Thursday, May 4. The finalists will attend a black-tie dinner Monday, May 22, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.
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.
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.
Award winners at Colonial have combined to accumulate 76 worldwide victories, including 54 PGA TOUR wins, and have amassed more than $365 million in prize money on the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour. More than $330 million has come on the PGA TOUR. Additionally, the group has appeared in 12 Ryder Cups and a dozen Presidents Cups.
Past recipients include: Aberg (2022), Ricky Barnes (2003), Cantlay (2012), Matt Every (2006), Rickie Fowler (2008), Doug Ghim (2018), Bill Haas (2004), Hovland (2019), Chris Kirk (2007), Hunter Mahan (2003), Maverick McNealy (2017), Ryan Moore (2005), John Pak (2021), Rahm (2015, 2016), Patrick Rodgers (2014), Kyle Stanley (2009), Nick Taylor (2010), Sahith Theegala (2020), D.J. Trahan (2002), Peter Uihlein (2011) and Chris Williams (2013).
Since 2002, the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation has awarded over $850,000 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.
2023 Watch List Candidates
Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech, Senior, Eslov, Sweden
Leon Acikalin, Arizona Christian, Senior, London, England
Cole Anderson, Florida State, Junior, Camden, Maine
Sam Bennett, Texas A&M, Senior, Madisonville, Texas
Fred Biondi, Florida, Senior, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Ryan Burnett, North Carolina, Senior, Lafayette, Calif.
Dominic Clemons, Hutchinson Community College, Sophomore, Cambridge, England
Charles DeLong, Grand Valley State, Sophomore, DeWitt, Mich.
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Illinois, Senior, Villers la Ville, Belgium
Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, Arkansas, Senior, Buenos Aires, Argentina
David Ford, North Carolina, Sophomore, Peachtree Corners, Ga.
Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida, Junior, Trinity, Fla.
Austin Greaser, North Carolina, Senior, Vandalia, Ohio
Derek Hitchner, Pepperdine, Senior, Minneapolis, Minn.
Ben James, Virginia, Freshman, Milford, Conn.
Connor Jones, Colorado State, Senior, Westminster, Colo.
Tommy Kuhl, Illinois, Senior, Morton, Ill.
Christo Lamprecht, Georgia Tech, Junior, George, Western Cape, South Africa
Bryce Lewis, Tennessee, Junior, Hendersonville, Tenn.
Yuxin Lin, Florida, Senior, Beijing, China
Christiaan Maas, Texas, Freshman, Pretoria, South Africa
Dylan Menante, North Carolina, Senior, Carlsbad, Calif.
Maxwell Moldovan, Ohio State, Junior, Uniontown, Ohio
William Mouw, Pepperdine, Senior, Chino, Calif.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Oklahoma State, Senior, Niva, Denmark
Greg Odom, Howard, Senior, Memphis, Tenn.
Alex Price, Christopher Newport, Senior, Hillsboro, Va.
Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt, Sophomore, Birmingham, Ala.
Calum Scott, Texas Tech, Sophomore, Nairn, Scotland
Herman Sekne, Purdue, Junior, Oslo, Norway
Cole Sherwood, Vanderbilt, Junior, Austin, Texas
Garrison Smith, New Mexico State, Senior, Mansfield, Texas
Ross Steelman, Georgia Tech, Senior, Columbia, Mo.
Preston Summerhays, Arizona State, Sophomore, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Caleb Surratt, Tennessee, Freshman, Indian Trail, N.C.
Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford, Junior, Wellesley, Mass.
Travis Vick, Texas, Senior, Houston, Texas
