FORT WORTH, Texas--Arizona State junior Jon Rahm has been named a 2015 finalist for The Ben Hogan Award, the Colonial Country Club, Friends of Golf (FOG), and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) announced Wednesday. Rahm is joined by Stanford sophomore Maverick McNealy and Washington senior Cheng-Tsung Pan. It is the first time in the award’s history that all three finalists represent one conference.
Rahm, the first finalist in Arizona State history, is the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings as well as the Scratch Players World Rankings. Meanwhile, he is listed second in both the Golfstat Rankings and Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings. He is the only player in the world listed among the top five in each of the four ranking systems.
The native of Barrika, Spain, has earned a second straight spot on the European Palmer Cup roster. He helped lead his side to victory last summer with a team-best 3.5-point performance. In addition, he won the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy given to the medalist of the World Team Amateur and broke Jack Nicklaus’ scoring record by six shots. Last summer, he also won the Spanish Amateur Championship and reached the U.S. Amateur’s round of 16.
In February, Rahm tied for fifth at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, becoming the first amateur to place in the top five at a PGA TOUR event since 2008. He has won three college tournaments in 2014-15–the Duck Invitational, ASU Thunderbird and Bill Cullum Invite. The junior has nine consecutive top-8 finishes at college events and owns a 68.79 stroke average.
JON RAHM SIX TOURNAMENT WINS
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (April 3-4, 2015)
Duck Invitational (Mar. 23-24, 2015)
Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 20-21, 2014)
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (Mar. 21-23, 2014)
San Diego Classic (Mar. 11-12, 2013)
Bill Cullum Invitational (Oct. 21-22, 2012)
MOST @ASUMENSGOLF TOURNAMENT WINS
Phil Mickelson (1988-92), 16
Billy Mayfair (1984-88), 8
Jon Rahm (2012-Present), 6
Alejandro Canizares (2002-06), 6
Charlie Gibson (1972-75), 6
Paul Casey (1997-2000), 6
The 2015 Ben Hogan Award recipient will receive an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s 2016 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, as well as earn a $25,000 grant for its men’s golf scholarship program. The other two finalists’ schools each will receive grants of $12,500.
The three Pac-12 Conference student-athletes will attend a black-tie banquet at Colonial Country Club on Monday, May 18, prior to the start of the PGA TOUR’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. The winner will be crowned at the banquet, which will be streamed live on TheBenHoganAward.org beginning at 8 p.m. (CT).