The COVID-19 pandemic rocked the 2020-21 college golf schedule, with some schools and conferences electing not to compete in the fall.
Play has largely returned across the nation this spring, and just like the weather outside, the race for the Haskins Award is starting to heat up. A handful of players have stood out as front-runners for the Haskins Award, which 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 writers.
Haskins Award Watch List
After an average fall by the sophomore’s standards – T-10 at Colonial and 2-2 record at the Big 12 Match Play – Aberg has come out firing in the spring with a T-1 at the Prestige and T-5 at the Cabo Collegiate at TPC San Antonio.
The Tiger junior recently defended his title at the Palmetto Intercollegiate after a sixth-place finish at the Kiawah Invitational and win to start the spring at the Camp Creek Seminole Invitational.
Arguably the frontrunner for the award, the freshman has started his collegiate career T-5, T-2, 1, 1, earning individual honors at the Kiawah Invitational and Wake Forest Invitational.
After not playing in the fall, the fifth-year senior has led his Illini to consecutive team wins to start the spring, claiming the individual title at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate and finishing T-4 at the LSU Invitational.
The freshman’s career is off to a great start, with a win at the Sea Best Invitational, a pair of T-4s at the Gator Invitational and Timuquana Collegiate and a T-21 at the Seminole Intercollegiate.
The junior has been Mr. Consistent for the Gamecocks this spring, with top-5 finishes at the Gators Invitational and LSU Invitational, as well as a T-6 at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in the fall.
The sophomore earned a third top 5 on the season at the Prestige following a second-place finish at the Pasadera Collegiate Invitational and T-2 at Maridoe in the fall. His worst finish? T-11.
The sophomore was consistent all fall, finishing T-4 at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, T-6 at Blessings and T-11 at Vanderbilt. In two events this spring he’s finished T-11 at the Gators Invitational and T-21 at LSU Invitational. Look for him to go on a run come championship season.
In four starts this spring, Norrman has a win at the Timuquana, T-3 at the Cabo Collegiate at TPC San Antonio, T-7 at the Camp Creek Seminole and T-16 at the Seminole Intercollegiate.
Pak and his teammate Norrman have almost identical resumes, minus the win. Pak finished second at the Seminole, T-3 at the Cabo, T-7 at Camp Creek and T-12 at Timuquana.
The junior has been contending at tournaments all season, with three top 10s, including a win at the Gators Invitational, fourth at the Jerry Pate and seventh at LSU.
The sophomore Spaniard started the spring with a pair of wins at the Southwestern Invitational and Amer Ari Intercollegiate. He’s since cooled off, by his standards, to a T-7 at the Prestige and T-10 at the Cabo Collegiate.
The highlight of Thompson’s fall was most likely his opening-round 1 under 69 at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot, but at the college level, the senior earned fall finishes of T-4 at Blessings, T-5 at Vanderbilt and T-6 at the Jerry Pate. With just a T-11 at the Gators Invitational to his name this spring, don’t be shocked if Thompson quickly finds his form down the stretch.
Depending on the day, the junior might not be the best player on his top-ranked team, but he’s always in the mix. He won the stroke-play portion of the East Lake Cup against a strong field, finished T-4 at the Seminole and ninth at the Cabo.
A top-10 machine this spring for the Flames, Vincent finished T-4 at Timuquana, T-6 at the Sea Best, T-8 at the Gators Invitational and 10th at the Seminole.