The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Zack Sucher Selected To Ben Hogan Watch List
2/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 9, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB golfer Zack Sucher has been named as one of 22 collegiate golfers tabbed to the 2009 Ben Hogan Award Watch List, as announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The most prestigious award in men's college golf, the Hogan Award is presented 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 a 12-month period.
"This is a very deserving honor for Zack," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "He has been one of the top golfers in the nation and I am glad he is recognized as such."
Sucher, who was the only C-USA golfer on the list, enters the 2009 spring campaign ranked as the No. 6 amateur golfer in the world. Additionally, Sucher was listed as No. 8 on SI.com's top-10 Dominators of the Year list of collegiate and pro golf during the 2007-08 campaign.
Last year, the two-time All-American led the Blazers to the 2008 NCAA Championships after earning the medalist honors at the 2008 Conference USA Championship and tying for first in the 2008 NCAA East Regional. As a result, Sucher was selected as the 2008 C-USA Men's Golfer of the Year.
The Mobile, Ala. native captured four tournament titles last season and has won five during his standout career. During last year's NCAA East Regional, Sucher recorded his career-low round, carding a 62 in the second round, which set a course record. That tournament also gave him his career-best 54-hole score of 200.
Last year's Hogan recipient Rickie Fowler of Oklahoma State joins Sucher on the list that also includes returning PING First-Team All-America selections Jorge Campillo of Indiana, Stanford's Sihwan Kim and Jamie Lovemark of Southern California and World Team Amateur participants Billy Horschel of Florida and Washington's Nick Taylor. Others on the watch list include Texas A&M's Bronson Burgoon, Bud Cauley and Matthew Swan of Alabama, Point Loma Nazarene's Sam Cyr, Dustin Garza of Wichita State, Southern California's Matthew Giles, Russell Henley, Adam Mitchell and Hudson Swafford of Georgia, Oklahoma State's Trent Leon, UNLV's Eddie Olson, Kyle Stanley of Clemson, Jarin Todd of Sonoma State, Georgia Tech's Cameron Tringale and Mike Van Sickle of Marquette.
The Hogan Award semifinalists will be announced April 16. The three finalists named on May 7 will be invited to Colonial Country Club in Fourth Worth, Texas, for the Hogan Award presentation on the evening of May 22.
The Blazers begin the spring season at the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15 in Gainesville, Fla.
