Maverick McNealy
The fall college golf season is well underway, and the
race for the 2016 Haskins Award is heating up.
The Haskins Award presented by Stifel is given
annually to the best college player, as voted by
players, coaches and media. Haskins Award winners
over the years include such notable professionals as
Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Luke Donald, Graeme
McDowell and Hunter Mahan.
Andy Zunz breaks down his top candidates for the
2015-16 award:
• • •
1. Maverick McNealy
Year: Junior
School: Stanford
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 3
Results: Won, Olympia Fields CC Illini Invitational; T-5
Nike Golf Collegiate; T-1 U.S. Collegiate Championship
The buzz: Just when it seems like the defending
Haskins Award winner is going to slip up, he continues
to impress. McNealy closed with a 67 amid a stacked
field at the U.S. Collegiate, rising 16 spots on the
leaderboard to share the title. He now has two wins
this year and three top-five finishes in elite events.
2. Jon Rahm
Year: Senior
School: Arizona State
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 7
Results T-9, Olympia Fields CC Illini Invitational; 10,
The Jackrabbit; T-2, Alister MacKenzie Invitational;
Won, Tavistock Collegiate Invitational
The buzz: Rahm reminded everyone why he won the
2015 Hogan Award, taking a runner-up finish at the
Alister MacKenzie and winning amid a strong field at
Isleworth. At the Tavistock Collegiate, the long-hitting
Spaniard impressed at a track that gave the rest of
the field fits, closing with a 3-under 69.
3. Beau Hossler
Year: Junior
School: Texas
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 1
Results: Won, Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational; T-8
U.S. Collegiate Championship
The buzz: Hossler holds onto the No. 1 ranking in the
Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings after taking a top-10
finish at the U.S. Collegiate. He has a 17-5 head-to-
head record against top-25 opponents this season,
second only to Maverick McNealy (22-3).
4. Robby Shelton
Year: Junior
School: Alabama
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 4
Results T-13, Olympia Fields CC Illini Invitational;
Won, Dick's Collegiate Challenge Cup; Won, Jerry Pate
National Intercollegiate
The buzz: Shelton has not competed since
impressively winning back-to-back tournaments, the
Dick's Collegiate Challenge Cup and the Jerry Pate
National Intercollegiate.
5. Michael Johnson
Year: Senior
School: Auburn
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 2
Results 11, Carpet Capital Collegiate; Won, Primland
Collegiate Invitational; 2, Jerry Pate National
Intercollegiate; T-5 U.S. Collegiate Championship
The buzz: The last of the class-of-2011 standouts,
Johnson keeps having a great redshirt senior season,
taking a top-five finish at the U.S. Collegiate to help
lead his team to a shared victory.
• • •
Who is trending up and who is trending down this
season?
UP
Derek Bard, Virginia
The U.S. Am runner up gets a share of the U.S.
Collegiate title for his first win of the year and second
top-five finish.
Charlie Danielson, Illinois
Danielson took his first win of the season at Crooked
Stick then followed that up with his third straight top-
10 finish of the year at Isleworth.
DOWN
Thomas Detry, Illinois
After a fantastic start to the season (with a T-3 and a
second), Detry went on to finish T-27 and T-37 to cap
the stroke-play portion of his fall slate.
Jordan Niebrugge, Oklahoma State
It's not been a great start to the Walker Cupper's
senior season, as he finished in the top 10 just once
and capped the fall with a T-46 showing at the U.S.
Collegiate.