Cavalier Pair Featured on Hogan Award Watch List

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia golfers Ben James and Bryan Lee are both on the 2025 Ben Hogan Award Watch List. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

The Ben Hogan Award annually awards the top men’s NCAA Division I, II or III, NAIA or NJCAA college golfer based on all collegiate, amateur and professional events over the previous 12 months. Virginia is one of nine schools in the country with multiple golfers on the watch list.

James was one of 10 semifinalists for the award last year and one of six semifinalists from the 2023-24 season to return to this year’s watch list, including 2024 winner Jackson Koivun (Auburn). James was a First Team All-American for the second-straight season as a sophomore in 2023-24 and tied for second at NCAA Championships. He goes into the spring season ranked No. 8 in the individual SCOREBOARD rankings.

Lee appears for the first time on the watch list after earning an honorable mention spot on both PING/CGCA and Golfweek All-American team as a sophomore in 2023-24. He finished eighth at NCAA Baton Rouge Regional (-4, 212) to help UVA to a second-place finish, the best regional showing in program history. In the fall, Lee turned in a second place Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate, one of his two top-10 finishes in four outings.

Virginia kicks off its 2025 spring season on Monday, Feb. 10 at the three-day Puerto Rico Classic.

2025 Watch List Candidates (35)