FORT WORTH, Texas – Fighting Illini juniors Nick Hardy and Dylan Meyer have been named semifinalists for the 2017 Ben Hogan Award, as announced today by Colonial Country Club, Friends of Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America. Hardy and Meyer were among 28 collegiate golfers named to the Ben Hogan Award Watch List earlier this season. The two mark the third and fourth Illini to be recognized as semifinalists for the prestigious honor, joining former Illini Charlie Danielson and Scott Langley.
"It's a great honor for Dylan and Nick to be recognized in this list," head coach Mike Small said. "As a program, we're excited for them. They've had a great season thus far, and we're all excited for what's to come, for them and our program."
The Illini are two of ten semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award, which 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 award selection committee will choose three finalists on Wednesday, May 3. The finalists will attend a black-tie banquet at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on Monday, May 22, prior to the start of the PGA TOUR's Dean & DeLuca Invitational, where the winner will be crowned.
Hardy, a two-time Big Ten Golfer of the Week, has been named to the Hogan Award Watch List twice in his career. He is currently ranked No. 27 in the country by Golfstat, and No. 18 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Hardy boasts a 71.13 stroke average this season and a 71.0 spring stroke average, and has been selected to represent the United States at the Arnold Palmer Cup this June. He has placed among the top 10 individuals in seven of Illinois' nine tournaments this year, including four top-five finishes.
Ranked at No. 12 in the country by Golfstat, Meyer currently checks in at No. 6 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. He is coming off of the second individual title of his career at the 3M Augusta Invitational, also securing a spot in the PGA TOUR's Valspar Championship next spring. Meyer leads Illinois with a 70.58 stroke average this season and a 70.33 stroke average this spring, and has placed among the top 25 individuals in all nine of Illinois' tournaments this year, earning five top-5 finishes.
Hardy, Meyer and the Illini will prepare to close the regular season at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate April 22-23. Stay tuned to FightingIllini.com for the latest on Illinois men's golf.
Semifinalists
Sam Burns, LSU, So., Shreveport, La.
Wyndham Clark, Oregon, Sr., Denver, Colo.
Sean Crocker, Southern California, Jr., Westlake, Calif.
Jared du Toit, Arizona State, Sr., Kimberley, British Columbia
Nick Hardy, Illinois, Jr., Northbrook, Ill.
Maverick McNealy, Stanford, Sr., Portola Valley, Calif.
Dylan Meyer, Illinois, Jr., Evansville, Ind.
Collin Morikawa, California, So., La Canada Flintridge, Calif.
Matthias Schwab, Vanderbilt, Sr., Rohrmoos, Austria
Will Zalatoris, Wake Forest, Jr., Plano, Texas
