Thirty college players were named Wednesday to the watch list for the 2014 Ben Hogan Award, given annually to the top college player when taking into account all college and amateur competitions in a 12-month period.
The eventual winner does not have to appear on the watch list, but it typically serves as a good indicator of who is on the selection committee’s radar.
A list of 10 semifinalists will be released April 16, with the three finalists being announced May 7. The winner will be named at a black-tie banquet at Colonial Country Club on May 18, prior to the start of the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Invitational.
It’s worth noting that eight of the 30 players on the watch list have been named here before: TCU’s Julien Brun, Kent State’s Corey Conners, Cal’s Brandon Hagy, Washington’s Cheng-Tsung Pan, Cal’s Michael Weaver, and Alabama’s Cory Whitsett and Bobby Wyatt. Both Brun (2013) and Rodgers (2012) are former finalists for the award.
Recent winners include Chris Kirk (2007), Rickie Fowler (2008), Kyle Stanley (2009), Peter Uihlein (2011) and Patrick Cantlay (2012).
The 30 players on the watch list (alphabetical order):
Anders Albertson – Georgia Tech, Jr., Woodstock, Ga.
Julien Brun – TCU, Jr., Antibes, France
Sebastian Cappelen – Arkansas, Sr., Odense, Denmark
Corey Conners – Kent State, Sr., Listowel, Ontario, Canada
Ian Davis – Oklahoma State, Sr., Edmond, Okla.
Bryson Dechambeau – SMU, So., Clovis, Calif.
Thomas Detry – Illinois, So., Brussels, Belgium
Greg Eason – UCF, Sr., Leicester City, England
Joey Garber – Georgia, Sr., Petoskey, Mich.
Oliver Goss – Tennessee, So., Perth, Australia
Gavin Green – New Mexico, Jr., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Brandon Hagy – California, Sr., Westlake Village, Calif.
Toni Hakula – Texas, Sr., Espoo, Finland
Chase Koepka – USF, So., West Palm Beach, Fla.
Denny McCarthy – Virginia, Jr., Rockville, Md.
Trey Mullinax – Alabama, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.
Jordan Niebrugge – Oklahoma State, So., Mequon, Wis.
Cheng-Tsung Pan – Washington, Jr., Miaoli County, Taiwan
Taylor Pendrith – Kent State, Sr., Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
J.T. Poston – Western Carolina, Jr., Hickory, N.C.
Patrick Rodgers – Stanford, Jr., Avon, Ind.
Ollie Schniederjans – Georgia Tech, Jr., Powder Springs, Ga.
Robby Shelton – Alabama, Fr., Wilmer, Ala.
Bradley Shigezawa – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Sr., Honolulu, Hawaii
Joel Stalter – California, Sr., Amneville, France
Scott Vincent – Virginia Tech, Jr., Harare, Zimbabwe
Michael Weaver – California, Sr., Fresno, Calif.
Cory Whitsett – Alabama, Sr., Houston, Texas
Cameron Wilson – Stanford, Sr., Rowayton, Conn.
Bobby Wyatt – Alabama, Sr., Mobile, Ala.
