Tag: Ben James

Reigning Mickelson Award winner Ben James is lurking at NCAA Men’s Golf Championship

The race for the NCAA individual title is tight.

CARLSBAD, Calif. — The results don’t show it, but Ben James believes he has played much better as a sophomore than he did as a freshman.

That’s hard to believe for James, let alone anyone comparing the seasons blindly next to each other. Last season, James won five times for Virginia and won the Phil Mickelson Award given to the Freshman of the Year. This year, he has no wins, only two top fives and six top-10 finishes.

“I’m actually playing a little bit better than last year,” James said Sunday after signing for a 3-under 69 in the third round of the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s North Course. “I’ve been really consistent. All around, my game feels a bit better.”

He has had to remain patient, but perhaps that’s finally starting to pay off. James sits T-2 and two shots back of the lead with 18 holes to play in the race for the individual title. What would be his first win of the season would be the biggest yet of his career.

“It’s like shooting 61 and then having to come back it up the next day,” Virginia coach Bowen Sargent said. “You’ve got to be able to manage expectations, and I do think he has gotten better. The parts have gotten better this year.”

The winner of the NCAA individual championship would earn exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Open in a couple of weeks at Pinehurst No. 2 and also would earn a spot at the 2025 Masters, given they accept the exemptions as amateurs. The lone player in front of James, Ohio State’s Adam Wallin, is a senior.

No pressure, right?

“Stuff just happens for a reason,” James said. “If it’s my day, it’s my day.”

Wallin also shot 3 under on Sunday and is two ahead of James. Vilips led by five entering the day but signed for 4-over 76 and is T-2 alongside James.

And James would be a shot closer if not for a pace-of-play penalty during Friday’s first round. However, his patience through that situation, and the season in general, are why James is clicking when it matters most.

“Being patient and letting things kind of come to you, that’s hard when you’re a great player because you’re used to taking the bull by the horns a little bit,” Sargent said, “but being patient is a big part of his game, and hopefully this week is his week.”

Meet the 10 members of the 2023 United States Walker Cup team

Here’s who will represent the United States at St. Andrews.

CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. — The roster for the United States Walker Cup team is set.

Following the conclusion of the 123rd U.S. Amateur on Sunday, the United States Golf Association’s International Team Selection working group and coach Mike McCoy announced the final selections to represent the American team in the 49th Walker Cup at the Old Course at St. Andrews from Sept. 2-3.

The Walker Cup is a 10-man amateur team competition between the U.S. and Great Britain and Ireland. The Old Course has hosted eight previous Walker Cups, more than any other venue, most recently in 1975, when the USA defeated GB&I, 15½-8½.

Rising Stanford senior Michael Thorbjornsen, second in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, would’ve represented the United States but withdrew from the competition, as well as the U.S. Amateur, because of a back injury.

Meet the 10 members of the 2023 United States Walker Cup team.

Players to watch at the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club

It’s going to be an incredible week at Cherry Hills.

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It’s time for the premier men’s amateur championship.

The 2023 U.S. Amateur started Monday at Cherry Hills Country Club and Colorado Golf Club, both in the Denver suburbs. The field of 312 players will complete 36 holes of stroke play, 18 at each course, before a cut is made to the top 64, who will advance to match play at Cherry Hills beginning Wednesday. This will be the 123rd U.S. Amateur.

Eighteen of the top 20 players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking are in the field, including No. 1 Gordon Sargent.

Last year, Sam Bennett topped Ben Carr 1 up at The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey.

Here’s a look at 10 players to watch at the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills.

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Virginia’s Ben James wins 2023 Phil Mickelson Award, signifying nation’s top freshman golfer

In 13 starts, James tallied 11 top-10 finishes. 

Virginia’s Ben James has been named winner of the 2023 Phil Mickelson Award, the Golf Coaches Association of America announced Thursday.

James had an incredible campaign that ended Tuesday after guiding the Cavaliers into the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship match play quarterfinals. James finished sixth at 4-under 276 in the stroke play portion of the national championship. It was Virginia’s first time making match play at the NCAA Championship.

He won five times this year, including two of his first three starts, and shared medalist honors at the Las Vegas Regional.

In 13 starts, James tallied 11 top-10 finishes.

James also earned an automatic selection on next week’s Arnold Palmer Cup team, a Ryder Cup-style event that takes place June 8-10 at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

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Haskins Award: Final watch list for 2022-23 men’s college golf season

Check out who’s in the running for player of the year in men’s college golf in 2023.

The postseason is underway in men’s college golf, and after the NCAA Regionals, the NCAA Div. I Men’s Golf Championship field is set for May 26-31 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With that, the race for the 2023 Haskins Award presented by Stifel is starting to heat up.

A handful of players have made their case throughout the season as front-runners for the Haskins Award, which honors the player of the year in men’s college golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media.

If you fit one of the listed criteria, use this link to cast your vote.

Players on the Haskins Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel writers. The players are listed alphabetically.

Golfweek/Sagarin rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

Haskins Award: First spring watch list for 2022-23 men’s college golf Player of the Year

Check out who’s in the running for men’s college golfer of the year.

With every passing week, the men’s college golf season creeps closer to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Haskins Award announced Friday its first spring watch list, featuring 15 of the best men’s college golfers this season. Gordon Sargent, a sophomore at Vanderbilt who has risen to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is having a stellar season, but there are plenty of other big names in contention.

The Haskins Award honors the player of the year in college men’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the Haskins Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

Men’s college golf notebook: Another member of the 60 club, freshmen make their mark

Here’s what you missed in the men’s college golf world.

Ryan Eshleman came close to making college golf history in the desert.

The junior at Auburn stepped to the 18th tee at Mirabel Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, at 10 under for the day. 11 birdies, one bogey and five pars in Eshleman’s first 17 holes. A birdie on the 18th would mean becoming the first college golfer to shoot 59.

He made it on the green with an opportunity for birdie. Eshleman hit the putt, and it tracked toward the hole yet died right before reaching it, leading to a tap-in par.

He signed for a 10-under 60, setting the new mark for lowest round in Auburn history. He became the 16th men’s golfer to card a 60 in college golf all time.

Eshleman ended up finishing T-8, as Auburn captured the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, finishing at 45 under. That mark set a new school record for lowest three-round score in school history, and the 22-under mark after the first round set a single-round record. In addition, the Tigers also set new program marks for lowest 18- and 36-hole scores. Arizona State came in second place at 40 under, which was its lowest three-round score in program history.

Tennessee freshman Caleb Surratt won the individual competition, shooting an 18-under 192. He beat Florida State’s Cole Anderson by three shots. The Volunteers also set a new 54-hole program scoring record.

2022 Maui Jim Intercollegiate
Tennessee’s Caleb Surratt holds the trophy after winning the Maui Jim Intercollegiate. (Photo: Tennessee Athletics)

Speaking of a 59 watch, there was more than one performance that nearly tried to reshape the college record books.

Lipscomb’s Jason Hong was 12 under after 15 holes at Streamsong Resort’s Blue Course, needing one birdie in his final three holes to shoot a 59 (par-72 layout). Hong parred the first then made eight straight birdies to close the front nine. He started the back nine with two consecutive pars before four straight birdies. He narrowly missed a birdie putt on the par-3 16th, but Hong made bogey on the 690-yard par-5 17th. A par at the last, and he signed for an 11-under 61.

The round set a new Streamsong Blue course record and a Lipscomb 18-hole record.

Hong finished in third place at 15-under 201, five shots behind Virginia freshman Ben James, who had 18 birdies, an eagle and no bogeys en route to his victory. Virginia also won the Streamsong Invitational, shooting 56 under to set a new program mark for a 54-hole low score. The Cavaliers topped Lipscomb by seven shots to win.

Meanwhile, Georgia Southern is continuing to show why it’s the best men’s mid-major in college golf. The Eagles won the Gopher Invitational in Independence, Minnesota, by five shots over Kansas and Kent State. Georgia Southern shot 20-under 832, including a 9-under final round to pull away for victory. Wilson Andress came away with the individual victory for Georgia Southern at 11-under 202, beating Coastal Carolina’s Garrett Cooper by two shots. U.S. Amateur runner-up Ben Carr finished T-10 at 5 under for the Eagles.

There was a crazy finish at the VCU Shootout, where the hosts and Charleston Southern went four playoff holes before determining the winner. VCU and Charleston Southern each finished at 36-under 828 for the tournament, but it was the latter coming away with the late win. George Washington University finished a shot out of the playoff.

Cameron Jourdan covers college and amateur golf for Golfweek. Got a college or amateur story? Email him at cjourdan@golfweek.com.

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