Feb. 10, 2016

FORTH WORTH, Texas — University of South Carolina Men’s Golf senior Matt NeSmith has been named to the 2016 Ben Hogan Award Watch List, it was announced today. NeSmith is one of 25 candidates for the most prestigious award in men’s college golf.

A native of North Augusta, S.C., NeSmith is no stranger to conference and national recognition. The senior is a two-time All-SEC selection, a three-time PING All-Southeast Region pick, and a two-time PING All-American. He was named SCGA Player of the Year in December and also earned SEC Freshman of the Year laurels in 2013.

NeSmith holds a 72.75 scoring average at the midway point of the 2015-16 season, and he’s finished in the top-10 twice out of four tournaments. Most recently, NeSmith took part in the prestigious Jones Cup Invitational amateur tournament in Sea Island, Ga., where he finished second.

Awarded by Colonial Country Club, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America, the Ben Hogan Award presented by Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) is issued annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the past 12-month period. The Ben Hogan Award Selection Committee, which votes during each stage of the process, is comprised of leaders in professional, amateur and collegiate golf.

The 2016 Ben Hogan Award Watch List, as determined by the award’s subcommittee, includes: NeSmith, Dawson Armstrong (Lipscomb), Derek Bard (Virginia), Sean Crocker (Southern California), Charlie Danielson (Illinois), Thomas Detry (Illinois), Jonathan Garrick (UCLA), Nick Hardy (Illinois), Rico Hoey (Southern California), Sam Horsfield (Florida), Beau Hossler (Texas), Michael Johnson (Auburn), Hank Lebioda (Florida State), Lee McCoy (Georgia), Maverick McNealy (Stanford), Jordan Niebrugge (Oklahoma State), Corey Pereira (Washington), Jon Rahm (Arizona State), Antoine Rozner (UMKC), Matthias Schwab (Vanderbilt), Robby Shelton (Alabama), Aaron Wise (Oregon), Adam Wood (Duke), Cameron Young (Wake Forest) and Will Zalatoris (Wake Forest).

The list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the current list, will be unveiled on Wednesday, April 13. On Tuesday, May 3, that group will be pared down to three finalists. The three finalists will attend a black-tie banquet at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, May 23, prior to the start of the PGA TOUR’s Colonial National Invitation Tournament, where the winner will be crowned.

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

South Carolina’s first team event of the 2016 spring campaign is scheduled for Feb. 19-21, when the Gamecocks take part in the All-American Intercollegiate in Humble, Texas. Carolina won the event last season, shooting a three-round total of 850 (-14) to defeat Sam Houston State by two shots.