Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The Ben Hogan Award Finalists Announced
Davies, Kirk and Martin invited to Colonial for Hogan banquet
NORMAN, Okla. ? Colonial Country Club and The Friends of Golf (FOG) in cooperation with the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), has named Rhys Davies of East Tennessee State, Georgia?s Chris Kirk and Pablo Martin of Oklahoma State finalists for The Ben Hogan Award and invited the three players to attend the Hogan banquet at Colonial Country Club on Monday, May 21. The most prestigious award in men?s college golf, The Hogan is presented annually to the top men?s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or junior college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the last 12 months.
A two-time PING First-Team All-America selection, Davies has claimed medalist honors three times this season - the Bank of Tennessee at The Ridges, the Seminole Intercollegiate and the General Jim Hackler Championship. In addition, the Bridgend, Wales, native has recorded four other top-five finishes during his senior campaign. Davies won the Scratch Players Championship this past summer and posted a 4-0 record to lead Europe to a record-setting victory at the Palmer Cup. He was recently named his conference?s player of the year for the third-straight time and to his fourth Palmer Cup. The Bucs? all-time leader in victories with 10, Davies holds virtually every ETSU record.
A Hogan Award finalist and PING First-Team All-American last year, Kirk has won three collegiate events - the Carpet Capital Collegiate, the Western Refining College All-America Classic and the Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational- during his senior season. During his victory at The All-America Classic, Kirk set a tournament and school record with an 18-under-par 195. He also posted a pair of third-place showings this season. Kirk represented the United States at both the Palmer Cup and the World Amateur Team Championship last year and will compete in the Palmer Cup again this summer. Georgia?s record holder with six career wins, Kirk hails from Woodstock, Ga.
A junior from Malaga, Spain, Martin became the first amateur to win a European Tour event when he claimed the Estoril Open de Portugal in April. A two-time PING First-Team All-America selection, Martin won the Big 12 Championship and was named the conference?s player of the year for the second-straight season. In addition to his Big 12 victory, he has placed in the top 10 on three other occasions. He advanced to the round of 16 at both the British Amateur and U.S. Amateur. Martin posted a 4-0 record at the Palmer Cup and finished tied for seventh at the World Team Amateur Championship. He was also named the 2006 Jack Nicklaus Award recipient as collegiate player of the year.
2007 The Ben Hogan Award Finalists
(in alphabetical order)
Rhys Davies, East Tennessee State
Chris Kirk, Georgia
Pablo Martin, Oklahoma State