Thirty of the nation’s most accomplished collegiate golfers have been named to the watch list for the 2022 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 four players in the Official World Golf Ranking—No. 1 Jon Rahm (2015, 2016), No. 3 Viktor Hovland (2019) and No. 4 Patrick Cantlay (2012)—are past recipients of the honor, while No. 2 Collin Morikawa (2018, 2019) was a two-time finalist.
The 2022 Ben Hogan Award watch list, as determined by the award’s subcommittee, includes: Ludvig Aberg (Texas Tech), Sam Bennett (Texas A&M), Michael Brennan (Wake Forest), Jacob Bridgeman (Clemson), J.M. Butler (Auburn), Eugenio Chacarra (Oklahoma State), Pierceson Coody (Texas), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (Illinois), Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (Arkansas), Alex Fitzpatrick (Wake Forest), Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida), Ryan Gerard (North Carolina), Chris Gotterup (Oklahoma), Austin Greaser (North Carolina), Cole Hammer (Texas), Joe Highsmith (Pepperdine), Walker Lee (Texas A&M), Nick Lyerly (UNCG), Palmer Jackson (Notre Dame), Bo Jin (Oklahoma State), RJ Manke (Washington), Logan McAllister (Oklahoma), Trent Phillips (Georgia), James Piot (Michigan State), David Puig (Arizona State), Cameron Sisk (Arizona State), Brian Stark (Oklahoma State), Jackson Suber (Ole Miss), Michael Thorbjornsen (Stanford) and Karl Vilips (Stanford).
The list includes 17 seniors, seven juniors and six sophomores. Six of the players were semifinalists a year ago, including Coody, who was one of three finalists in 2021 and also was a semifinalist in 2020. The other semifinalists from 2021 are Aberg, Bennett, Fitzpatrick, Gabrelcik and Puig.
Seven schools have at least two golfers on the watch list, led by Oklahoma State with three. The programs with multiple watch list members are Arizona State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Wake Forest.
This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled Friday, April 15. That group will be pared down to three finalists Thursday, May 5. The finalists will attend a black-tie dinner Monday, May 23, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.
The Ben Hogan Award’s esteemed selection committee votes during each stage of the process. The selection committee is comprised of 32 leaders in collegiate, amateur and professional golf.
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.
Ben Hogan Award winners at Colonial have combined to accumulate 67 worldwide victories, including 49 PGA TOUR wins, and have amassed more than $320 million in prize money across the globe. Additionally, the group has appeared in 12 Ryder Cups and a dozen Presidents Cups.
In addition to Rahm, Cantlay and Hovland, past recipients include: Ricky Barnes (2003), Matt Every (2006), Rickie Fowler (2008), Doug Ghim (2018), Bill Haas (2004), Chris Kirk (2007), Hunter Mahan (2003), Maverick McNealy (2017), Ryan Moore (2005), John Pak (2021), Patrick Rodgers (2014), Kyle Stanley (2009), Nick Taylor (2010), Sahith Theegala (2020), D.J. Trahan (2002), Peter Uihlein (2011) and Chris Williams (2013).
2022 Watch List Candidates
Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech, Junior, Eslov, Sweden
Sam Bennett, Texas A&M, Senior, Madisonville, Texas
Michael Brennan, Wake Forest, Sophomore, Leesburg, Va.
Jacob Bridgeman, Clemson, Senior, Inman, S.C.
J.M. Butler, Auburn, Sophomore, Louisville, Ky.
Eugenio Chacarra, Oklahoma State, Senior, Madrid, Spain
Pierceson Coody, Texas, Senior, Plano, Texas
Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Illinois, Junior, Villers la Ville, Belgium
Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, Arkansas, Junior, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Alex Fitzpatrick, Wake Forest, Senior, Sheffield, England
Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida, Sophomore, Trinity, Fla.
Ryan Gerard, North Carolina, Senior, Raleigh, N.C.
Chris Gotterup, Oklahoma, Senior, Little Silver, N.J.
Austin Greaser, North Carolina, Junior, Vandalia, Ohio
Cole Hammer, Texas, Senior, Houston, Texas
Joe Highsmith, Pepperdine, Senior, Lakewood, Wash.
Walker Lee, Texas A&M, Senior, Houston, Texas
Nick Lyerly, UNCG, Senior, Salisbury, N.C.
Palmer Jackson, Notre Dame, Junior, Murrysville, Penn.
Bo Jin, Oklahoma State, Sophomore, Beijing, China
RJ Manke, Washington, Senior, Lakewood, Wash.
Logan McAllister, Oklahoma, Senior, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Trent Phillips, Georgia, Senior, Inman, S.C.
James Piot, Michigan State, Senior, Canton, Mich.
David Puig, Arizona State, Junior, La Garriga, Spain
Cameron Sisk, Arizona State, Senior, San Diego, Calif.
Brian Stark, Oklahoma State, Junior, Kingsburg, Calif.
Jackson Suber, Ole Miss, Senior, Tampa, Fla.
Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford, Sophomore, Wellesley, Mass.
Karl Vilips, Stanford, Sophomore, Perth, Western Australia