As the fall season winds to a close, it’s time to recognize players who set themselves apart as frontrunners in men’s college golf over the past two and a half months. Perhaps none accomplished that quite like RJ Manke, the Pepperdine transfer who is running wild for his new Washington Huskies with two wins, two runners-up finishes and a T-3 in five events this fall. There are plenty of talented men, however, on his heels.
The Haskins Award honors the player of the year in college men’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the Haskins Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel writers.
Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual
Michael Brennan, Wake Forest
Started the fall season with a T-28 and finished with a T-37, but sandwiched between were a pair of wins at home at the Old Town Club Collegiate and the Colonial Collegiate.
Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan at the 2021 Came Creek Seminole Invitational. (Photo: Wake Forest)
J.M. Butler, Auburn
Boasts a 68.00 scoring average with a win to start the season at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate and added a T-5 at the Isleworth Collegiate.
Auburn’s J.M. Butler. (Photo: Todd Drexler/SESPORTSMEDIA.com)
Ben Carr, Georgia Southern
Few players have been as consistently good as Carr this season. The senior hasn’t finished worse than T-8 in four starts. Started the year with a third-place finish at the Gopher Invitational and recently won the Bank of Tennessee Collegiate.
Georgia Southern’s Ben Carr. (Photo: AJ Henderson, Georgia Southern)
Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, Arkansas
Earned his first career collegiate win last week at the Stephens Cup and added a T-2 at home at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and a T-3 at the Carmel Cup.
The men's individual champion has officially been crowned 🏆@RazorbackMGolf's Mateo Fernandez De Oliveira wins the first individual men’s title at the @TheStephensCup!@MateofdeoMateo | #JTSCup #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/ocQHOcExr6
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 19, 2021
Ryan Gerard, North Carolina
Gerard began the season with his first win in college at the Rod Myers Invitational and followed with a T-7 at Olympia Fields and a T-6 at the Blessings. For his efforts he currently sits second according to the Golfweek/Sagarin ranking.
North Carolina’s Ryan Gerard. (Photo: North Carolina)
Christopher Gotterup, Oklahoma
The first of one of the nation’s strongest 1-2 punches. Finished T-14 at the Carmel Cup then added a pair of T-3s against good fields at Maridoe and Colonial.
Oklahoma’s Chris Gotterup. (Photo: Oklahoma Men’s Golf)
Austin Greaser, North Carolina
After a runner-up finish this summer at the U.S. Amateur Greaser began the fall with a T-13 at the Rod Myers then won for the first time in college at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational. Added another top-10 at the Blessings.
Austin Greaser waves to the crowd after making his putt on the fourth hole during the final match at the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. on Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (Chris Keane/USGA)
Palmer Jackson, Notre Dame
Led by Jackson, the Irish have a pair of wins and two more top fives this season. The junior lost to fellow watch list-er Fernandez de Oliveira in a playoff at the Stephens Cup and hasn’t finished worse than T-13 this season, with three top-five finishes.
"How good was THAT?!"
What a shot by @NDMensGolf's @pdjack_ who successfully gets on the green 👍#JTSCup @TheStephensCup | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/rMK6NGxESt
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) October 18, 2021
Luke Kluver, Kansas
The sophomore won the Gopher Invitational and added two more top-10s at the Marquette Intercollegiate and Windon Memorial.
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝟏𝟐 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡
👇@KluverLuke1⃣ Tourney Win
3⃣ Top 10s
9⃣ Rounds at even- par or better📰 | https://t.co/OMngOos6rn#RockChalk pic.twitter.com/Many67bJrx
— Kansas Men's Golf (@KUMensGolf) October 6, 2021
RJ Manke, Washington
If there’s a frontrunner for the award this year, it’s Manke. As mentioned above, in five starts for the Huskies he’s continued to improve each week. After starting the year T-3 at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate he finished T-2 at home at the Husky Invitational then second at the Windon. Ended the fall with a pair of wins at the Fighting Irish Classic and Oregon State Invitational.
Washington’s RJ Manke. (Photo: Washington Men’s Golf)
Logan McAllister, Oklahoma
The second of one of the nation’s strongest 1-2 punches. The senior began the year with a big win via a playoff at the Carmel Cup, finished T-18 at Maridoe then got back inside the top five with a T-3 at Colonial alongside Gotterup.
Oklahoma’s Logan McAllister. (Photo: Oklahoma Men’s Golf)
David Puig, Arizona State
Apparently Sun Devils don’t finish outside the top 10. Puig finished tied for third at the Maui Jim Classic, T-2 at Olympia Fields with teammate Cameron Sisk (more to come on him) and T-8 at Isleworth.
Arizona State golfer David Puig tees off from the tenth tee during the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club. (Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)
Cameron Sisk, Arizona State
He’s the the No. 1 player according to the Golfweek/Sagarin ranking for a reason, folks. Sisk won the Maridoe Collegiate Invitational, finished T-2 at Olympia Fields with teammate Puig and T-5 at Isleworth. He’s 11-1-2 against the top 10 players in the country and 21-2-3 against the top 50.
Arizona State’s Cameron Sisk. (Photo: Maria Terrana via Arizona State)
Brian Stark, Oklahoma State
Has three strong finishes with a T-3 at the Carmel Cup, T-5 at the Fighting Illini and sixth at Colonial. At the Big 12 Match Play Stark went 4-1.
Oklahoma State’s Brian Stark. (Photo: Oklahoma State Men’s Golf)
Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford
No. 3 on the Golfweek/Sagarin ranking thanks to a strong start to the season with a T-7 at the Fighting Illini and T-2 at Colonial.
Stanford’s Michael Thorjbornsen. (Bob Drebin/isiphotos.com)
