James Repeats as Hogan Award Semifinalist
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. – Junior Ben James was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ben Hogan Award presented by Baird. It marks the second-straight year that James has been selected as a semifinalist.
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. The joint announcement was made by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).
James has played in eight tournaments for the Cavaliers this season and posted top 3 finishes in four of them. He recorded the individual win at the Valero Texas Collegiate in September that earned him a spot on the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open earlier this month. He made the cut for the second time in seven PGA Tour starts and tied for 33rd for the tournament.
At this week’s Lewis Chitengwa Memorial played at Birdwood Golf Club, he placed second which marked his 23rd career top 10 to match the UVA all-time record held by Simon Cooke (1993-96), James Driscoll (1997-2000) and Ben Kohles (2008-2012).
This year’s three Ben Hogan finalists will be named on Tuesday, May 6. The trio will attend a black-tie dinner Monday, May 19, at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.
2025 Ben Hogan Award presented by Baird Semifinalists
Josele Ballester, Arizona State, Sr., Castellon de la Plana, Spain
Luke Clanton, Florida State, Jr., Hialeah, Fla.
David Ford, North Carolina, Sr., Peachtree Corners, Ga.
Ian Gilligan, Florida, Sr., Reno, Nev.
Ben James, Virginia, Jr., Milford, Conn.
Jackson Koivun, Auburn, So., Chapel Hill, N.C.
Michael La Sasso, Ole Miss, Jr., Raleigh, N.C.
Christiaan Maas, Texas, Jr., Pretoria, South Africa
Tommy Morrison, Texas, Jr., Dallas, Texas
Brendan Valdes, Auburn, Sr., Orlando, Fla.