Initially given to a player exhibiting excellence in academics, as well as college golf, the inaugural The Ben Hogan Award was presented April 23, 1990, to Kevin Wentworth of Oklahoma State University. The Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) selected the winner just a few weeks after the creator of the award, 1940 Heisman Trophy winner and golf enthusiast, Tom Harmon, passed away.
In the summer of 2001, FOG and the GCAA were approached by representatives of Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, wanting to expand the award named for Hogan to make the presentation during the week of the PGA TOUR’s annual tournament stop at Colonial.
While the three parties collaborated on the award, the decision was made to revise the criteria to more accurately reflect Harmon’s original idea for The Ben Hogan Award. Although the criteria for selection changed to recognize the outstanding male amateur and collegiate golfer of the year, the first 12 recipients will remain as part of the Hogan Award’s history. Additionally, FOG continues to present the honoree with a replica of the Waterford crystal trophy displayed at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles.
In 2002, Colonial Country Club commissioned a new Hogan sculpture on permanent display in the Hogan Room at Colonial. A replica of this sculpture is presented to the honoree.
“I think that Colonial joining FOG and the Golf Coaches Association in The Ben Hogan Award has been very positive,” said FOG Executive Director Eddie Merrins. “The award is now truly the Heisman of college golf.”
Since 2005, the Charles Schwab Challenge has invited The Ben Hogan Award recipient to compete in the next year’s championship. Also beginning in 2005 the Hogan Award invited the three finalists to The Ben Hogan Award Banquet with the recipient named that evening.
Winners of The Ben Hogan Award include Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes, Bill Haas, Ryan Moore, Matt Every, Chris Kirk, Rickie Fowler, Kyle Stanley and Nick Taylor. Recent winners include young stars Peter Uihlein, Patrick Cantlay, Patrick Rodgers, Jon Rahm, Maverick McNealy, Doug Ghim and Viktor Hovland.
PAST CHAMPIONS
2023 – Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech
2022 – Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech
2021 – John Pak, Florida State
2020 – Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine
2019 – Viktor Hovland, Oklahoma State
2018 – Doug Ghim, Texas
2017 – Maverick McNealy, Stanford
2016 – Jon Rahm, Arizona State
2015 – Jon Rahm, Arizona State
2014 – Patrick Rodgers, Stanford
2013 – Chris Williams, Washington
2012 – Patrick Cantlay, UCLA
2011 – Peter Uihlein, Oklahoma State
2010 – Nick Taylor, Washington
2009 – Kyle Stanley, Clemson
2008 – Rickie Fowler, Oklahoma State
2007 – Chris Kirk, Georgia
2006 – Matt Every, Florida
2005 – Ryan Moore, UNLV
2004 – Bill Haas, Wake Forest
2003 – Ricky Barnes, Arizona & Hunter Mahan, Oklahoma State
2002 – D.J. Trahan, Clemson
2001 – Wil Collins, New Mexico
2000 – Chris James, Oklahoma
1999 – Steve Friesen, Nebraska
1998 – Jamie Broce, Ball State
1997 – Jeff Fahrenbruch, Texas
1996 – Mark Wilson, North Carolina
1995 – Trip Kuehne, Oklahoma State
1994 – William Blackmon, Auburn
1993 – Marten Olander, Alabama
1992 – Jon Lindquist, Gustavus Adolphus College
1991 – Brian Bridges, Kent State
1990 – Kevin Wentworth, Oklahoma State
Note: Current criteria began in 2002. Prior to that, academic performance was included in the criteria.