FORT WORTH, Texas - Oklahoma State junior Peter Uihlein was named the recipient of the 2011 Ben Hogan Award by the Golf Coaches Association of America at a banquet held at Colonial Country Club.
"We are all here tonight because of Ben Hogan and what he has meant to golf. It is truly remarkable what Colonial is doing in keeping his tradition alive. He is one of the greatest players to ever live. To be here and see all of his memorabilia and awards is truly remarkable," Uihlein said.
The Hogan 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.
With the announcement, Uihlein becomes the fifth Cowboy to claim the honor. He joins former greats Kevin Wentworth (1990), Trip Kuehne (1995), Hunter Mahan (2003) and Rickie Fowler (2008) on OSU's recipient list for the prestigious award.
"When I was growing up and talking about Oklahoma State, I wanted to be a part of a tradition that was second to none. To be a part of a team at Oklahoma State with the nucleus that we have and to be a part of that tradition is truly remarkable" Uihlein said. "I want to thank the coaches, Coach McGraw and Coach Bratton. I will be back next year for my senior year and I wish I could go more. I truly love it there. I can truly say that I would not be standing up here if I would have gone anywhere other than Oklahoma State."
The reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Uihlein won the Sahalee Players Championship and Dixie Amateur during the past year as well. He tallied a runner-up finish at the Porter Cup, posted a seventh-place finish at the Sunnehanna Amateur and a fourth-place showing at the World Amateur Team Championship. Additionally, Uihlein made the cut this spring at the PGA Tour's Transitions Championship and also competed at The Masters.
Last September, he was named the recipient of the Mark H. McCormack Medal, which is presented by The R&A to the top-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking at the end of the amateur season and following the European and U.S. Amateur Championships.
An Orlando, Fla. native, Uihlein was runner-up at the 2010 NCAA Championships and was recently named the Big 12 Player of the Year. Uihlein has claimed medalist honors twice this season at the collegiate level, winning the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational and The Aggie Invitational. He has posted four other top-five finishes this year, including runner-up showings at the Ping/Golfweek Preview and the Jack Nicklaus Invitational.
Joining Uihlein as one of the three finalists was OSU senior Kevin Tway. The Cowboy duo made history by becoming the first college teammates to be named as finalists for the Hogan Award during the same season.