Brennan and Fitzpatrick Named to Ben Hogan Watch List
2/8/2022 2:00:00 PM | Men's Golf
Wake Forest is one of seven schools with multiple golfers on the initial watch list.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest men's golf sophomore Michael Brennan and junior Alex Fitzpatrick were named 2022 Ben Hogan Award Watch List, as announced by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf (FOG) and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) on Tuesday afternoon.
Wake Forest is one of just seven schools with multiple golfers on the initial 30-players watch list. Additionally, the Demon Deacons two watch list members are tied for the most in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Brennan has been the top Demon Deacon on the leaderboard after 12 of 15 rounds so far this season while also having three top two finishes and a pair of individual victories. In 15 career events, he has finished inside of the top five seven times.
This season he has taken home a pair of individual titles, claiming the Old Town Club Collegiate Invitational title along with Fitzpatrick. He followed that up in the next tournament by winning at the Colonial Collegiate Invitational.
The win at historic Colonial Country Club marked the fourth time in Brennan's career he has captured an individual title putting him with names such as Will Zalatoris and Bill Andrade to have four titles to their name at Wake Forest. Only six Demon Deacons have more than four titles in their collegiate career: Bill Haas (10), Gary Hallberg (9), Curtis Strange (8), Lanny Wadkins (5), Jay Haas (5) and Cameron Young (5).
Wake Forest Golfers to Win Four Collegiate Events
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Bill Andrade
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Lee Bedford
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Bob Byman
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Billy Chapman
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Will Zalatoris
Additionally, it was the second time in his career Brennan has won back-to-back events after winning at Kiawah and Pinehurst as a freshman.
Brennan has a team-best 69.80 stroke average this season, which would rank second in program history. It trails just Bill Haas' historic 2004 Fred Haskins Award winning season where he had a stroke average of 68.93.
Fitzpatrick has long been considered one of the best amateur golfers not only in the collegiate ranks, but around the world. He currently sits fourth in the World Amateur Golf Rankings while also being fourth in the newly formed PGA University Rankings.
The senior from Sheffield, England native is coming off his third top-20 finish of the season, tying for 18th at the Southwestern Invitational in late January. In fall, he tied for 13th finish at the Colonial Collegiate. Fitzpatrick also tied for medalist honors with Brennan at the Old Town Club Collegiate.
The victory at the Old Town Collegiate Invitational marked his second in his illustrious collegiate career. His first collegiate victory came at the Valspar Collegiate in March of 2021 with a 12-under score of 201. He also received an exemption to the 2022 PGA Tour Valspar Championship, which is scheduled for March 14-20.
In 93 career rounds for the Demon Deacons, Fitzpatrick has a 70.83 stroke average which would rank second in program history, trailing just PGA Tour pro Will Zalatoris who had a 70.44 average during his time in Winston-Salem.
Players Mentioned
