Jack Nicklaus Award presented by Barbasol Recipients Announced

DUBLIN, Ohio – Matthew Wolff of Oklahoma State, Barry’s Jorge Garcia, Josh Gibson of Hope, Coastal Georgia’s Mark David Johnson, and Midland College’s Callum Bruce have been named the 2019 recipients of the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award presented by Barbasol. The Nicklaus Award recognizes the top players at the Division I, II, III, NAIA and NJCAA levels.

In addition to receiving the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, the five recipients will compete in the Barbasol Shootout for an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship, held July 18-21, at the Champions at Keene Trace in Lexington, Ky. The Barbasol Shootout will be held Saturday, June 1 at The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio - the same club where Jack Nicklaus played collegiate golf for the Buckeyes.

Mr. Nicklaus will recognize the Nicklaus Award recipients the following day at 10 am during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

“We are honored to sponsor the Jack Nicklaus Award and to offer the Barbasol Shootout winner an exemption into the Barbasol Championship,” said Tom Murray, CEO of Perio Inc., the parent company of Barbasol. “To earn the exemption, regardless of Division, offers a unique and life-changing opportunity to play in a PGA TOUR event.”

Wolff, the Division I Nicklaus Award recipient, will also receive an exemption to the following year’s Memorial Tournament.

Division I: A six-time winner during his sophomore season, Wolff has registered a scoring average of 68.69 in 34 rounds played. The Agura Hills, California, native was most recently crowned NCAA Division I Individual National Champion after his five-shot victory at The Blessings Golf Course in Fayetteville, Arkansas. A PING First-Team All America selection, Wolff also has nine top-10 finishes in his 12 starts over the 2018-19 season.

Division II: Garcia produced four victories during his senior campaign in 2018-19. The Sunshine State Conference Golfer of the year, and PING First Team All-America honoree placed inside the top-10 in all 12 events he participated. Garcia registered a scoring average of 69.76 over his 33 rounds played.

Division III: Gibson becomes the first Division III repeat recipient of the Nicklaus Award, and the 7th two-time honoree in the award’s history. The Grandville, Michigan, native has posted six victories this season, and has did not place outside the top-10 in his 15 starts in 2018-19.

NAIA: The Sun Conference Player of the Year, Johnson had four victories in his 11 starts over 2018-19, including winning the 2019 NAIA Individual National Championship. The St. Simmons Island, Georgia, native was also named a PING First Team All-America selection and has only finished outside of the top-10 twice.

NJCAA: Bruce claimed the Nicklaus Award for the second straight year and is only the second NJCAA repeat recipient. A sophomore from Banff, Scotland, he has posted five victories this season, including the NJCAA Division I Championship. Bruce has four additional top-five showings and only placed outside the top 10 once in 13 events. He was previously named PING First-Team All-America.

Nicklaus, a Big Ten and NCAA Champion at The Ohio State University, helped inspire and create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988 and it is now presented to the National Player of the year in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, as well as NAIA and NJCAA. Winners of the Nicklaus Award include Tiger Woods (1996), Phil Mickelson (1990-92), David Duval (1993), Justin Leonard (1994), Stewart Cink (1995), Justin Thomas (2012), and Jon Rahm (2016) among many others.

About Barbasol:
Barbasol is America’s #1 brand of shaving cream. For the past 100 years, generations of men have trusted Barbasol for a close, comfortable shave. Barbasol is now proud to offer a comprehensive assortment of premium razors. Barbasol Shaving Cream and Razors are available at retailers nationwide. Barbasol is owned by Dublin, Ohio-based Perio Inc. For more information on Barbasol, visit www.Barbasol.com.