Tag: RJ Manke

Ping signs three young pros to contracts: Cole Hammer, Logan McAllister and RJ Manke

The trio finished among the top five in the PGA Tour U standings to earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ping announced Tuesday it had signed three young professionals – Cole Hammer, Logan McAllister and RJ Manke – to multiyear equipment contracts. Each of the trio earned status for the rest of the Korn Ferry Tour season after finishing in the top five of this year’s PGA Tour University, which gives college players opportunities on various tours.

Hammer helped lead the Texas Longhorns to the 2022 NCAA Division I team championship, and he was medalist at the 2021 Big 12 Conference Championship. The Houston native has played on two winning Walker Cup teams and was awarded the 2019 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top amateur golfer. He finished on Golfweek’s Third Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

McAllister, a native of Oklahoma City, had four wins in his college career at Oklahoma. As a senior, he was named to the Ping All-America first team and All-Big 12 first team. He finished on Golfweek’s Second Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

Manke in 2021-22 was a fifth-year senior transfer from Pepperdine to the University of Washington in his home state, where he was the Pac-12 men’s player of the year while earning Ping All-America first-team honors. He won four times in college, twice at Washington and twice at Pepperdine. He finished on Golfweek’s First Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

“Our college program continues to identify and build relationships with some of the top young players in the game,” Ping President John K. Solheim said in a release announcing the signings. “To have three of the top five from the 2022 PGA Tour U class is a testament to that commitment. Cole, Logan and RJ all had exceptional records throughout their college careers and are ready to take the next step into the professional game. We’re excited to be aligned with these talented players and look forward to supporting them as they transition to the pro ranks.”

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Haskins Award: Finalists for men’s college player of the 2021-22 season

Meet the finalists in the running for men’s college player of the year.

The postseason is underway in college golf, and after last week’s NCAA Regionals, the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship field is set for May 27-June 1 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With that championship field set, the race for the Haskins Award is wide open and white-hot. A handful of players have shone 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.

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

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

College stars show out at 2021 PXG College Golf Showcase, which donated $1 million to military foundations

Check out some of the highlights from the second-annual college showcase.

The big winner of the PXG College Golf Showcase was once again charity.

The second annual event at Scottsdale National Golf Club aimed to elevate collegiate golfers and PGA Tour University while also benefiting military-focused foundations was shot last month but aired Wednesday night on Golf Channel. The teams, led by playing captains actor and Marine veteran Rob Riggle and Hall of Fame NFL running back Jerome Bettis, were filled with some of the nation’s best college golfers – for now – and the players didn’t disappoint.

Riggle’s Semper Fi & America’s Fund team, featuring Oklahoma State’s Eugenio Chacarra, Washington’s RJ Manke and Duke’s Gina Kim, were down big at the turn to Bettis’ team representing Mount Sinai, comprised of Arkansas’ Brooke Matthews, SMU’s Noah Goodwin and Oklahoma’s Logan McAllister, but fought back down the stretch. Ultimately, it was Riggle’s squad coming out on top in the end with $512,500 to the Semper Fi fund, just ahead of Mount Sinai with $487,500.

The tagline for the event is, “Elite college golfers should be household names.” While that’s true, if you’re just learning about Kim and Matthews, you might have missed their college careers. A total of 46 players recently earned LPGA cards for next season, including Matthews and Kim. Both said they plan to announce their decision about whether they will turn pro or defer and finish their college seasons in the coming days.

The money was donated by the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation. Parsons, the founder of internet domain and registrar company GoDaddy, purchased Scottsdale National in 2013 and started PXG in 2014.

Check out some of the highlights from the second-annual showcase.

McAllister hates putting in Arizona

OK, maybe not, but at last year’s NCAA Championship the Sooner star made two aces, then at the PXG event he chips in for eagle to give his team some early juice.

Blowout at the turn

Things weren’t looking good midway through the event.

‘Be the number!’

The Semper Fi squad started to get a little swagger after the turn and Chacarra couldn’t get enough of Manke’s approach at the par-5 10th.

Gina Kim throws darts

A 325 carry?!

No words, just watch.

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