University of Washington senior Chris Williams was named one of three finalists for the annual Ben Hogan Award, presented to the nation’s best college golfer, the Golf Coaches Association of America said Wednesday.
Also named as finalists were California’s Michael Kim and Texas Christian’s Julien Brun. The winner will be disclosed May 20, prior to the start of the PGA’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
The Ben Hogan Award recipient will receive an exemption into the 2014 Crowne Plaza Invitational as well as a grant from its men’s golf scholarship program. Last year, the winner’s university received a $20,000 grant, while the other finalists’ schools each received $10,000 grants.
The Ben Hogan Award is presented annually to the player in NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA compiling the greatest record of achievement in the previous 12 months. The selection committee is made up of 23 leaders and experts in amateur, college and professional golf.
Williams is the third finalist from the University of Washington, following Brock Mackenzie (2004) and 2010 winner Nick Taylor. He is the world’s No.1-ranked amateur in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and the Scratch Players World Rankings. He won the 2012 Mark H. McCormack Medal, awarded to world’s top-ranked amateur.
Williams swept the 2012 Western Amateur match and stroke play titles and also advanced to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur.
Named first team All-Pac-12 Tuesday, he has seven top-10 finishes this season and has shot in the 60s 10 times.