The majority of the spring portion of the college golf season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but awards are still being handed out.
On Tuesday, the GCAA has announced the finalists for the 2020 Byron Nelson Award presented by Srixon/Cleveland Golf: Baylor’s Colin Kober, Louisville’s John Murphy and Georgia Tech’s Tyler Strafaci.
“It is with great pride that we at Srixon/Cleveland Golf once again have the honor of recognizing the finalists for the Byron Nelson Award,” said Rodney McDonald of Srixon/Cleveland Golf. “The three young men who are our finalists this year exemplify what Byron stood for on the golf course, in the classroom and most importantly in his community”
Nelson Award candidates must be a graduating senior. The selection committee takes into consideration the player’s entire collegiate academic and golf career, as well as his character and integrity.
Over a four-year career at Baylor, Kober earned a 72.99 career scoring average, 11th-best in school history. A 2019 Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar, 2019 Big-12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the year and the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Elite 90 Award winner, Kober served in the community at the Waco Habitat for Humanity and Feed My Starving Children.
Hailing from Kinsale, Ireland, Murphy boasts a career scoring average of 71.98 and earned two individual wins this season for Louisville. A Ping All-Region selection in 2019 and 2020, 2020 Ping Honorable Mention All-American and ACC-All Academic Team selection, Murphy helped in the community at the Franciscan Kitchen of Louisville, the Open Adult Wheelchair Basketball event for the Metro Parks Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation division, as well as the local Salvation Army.
Strafaci’s 71.60 career scoring average is good enough for sixth all-time in Georgia Tech history. A three-time Ping All-Region selection and Ping Honorable Mention All-American in 2020, Strafaci regularly serves with the EXCEL Program at Georgia Tech, a four-year program offered to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He also mentors junior golfers in the summer and participates in the Michael Isenhour Toy Drive each fall.
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