UF Men’s Golf: Axelsen, Castillo Named to Ben Hogan Award Watch List

Press release from UF Athletic Association

John Axelsen and Ricky Castillo are among 31 collegiate golfers recognized on the prestigious watch list.

John Axelsen and Ricky Castillo are among 31 collegiate golfers named to the 2020 Ben Hogan Award watch list announced by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf, and the Golf Coaches Association of America on Wednesday.

The Ben Hogan Award, presented by Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., is given 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 from June to May.

This year’s list of 10 semifinalists, which could include individuals not on the watch list, will be unveiled on Wednesday, April 15. That group will be pared down to three finalists in May, and the finalists will attend a black-tie dinner at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where the winner will be crowned.

Axelsen has been a consistent presence on Florida’s roster dating back to the first tournament of the season. The junior has notched five top-15 finishes, including placing in the top-3 on three occasions. Axelsen currently boasts a 70.30 adjusted scoring average and is listed as the No. 11 collegiate player on Golfstat’s Division I player rankings

This past summer, Axelsen represented Denmark at the European Amateur Team Championships as well as finished tied for fifth at the Denmark Challenge.

In his inaugural season as a Gator, Castillo has been unstoppable. The No. 2 amateur in the world opened the spring with back-to-back individual wins by a collective 11 strokes. Combined with his fall season results, Castillo has finished within the top-25 of every collegiate event he has competed in so far. The freshman currently has an adjusted 70.30 scoring average, which includes six rounds in the 60s.

In addition to his accomplishments in Orange and Blue, Castillo has also experienced immense success in amateur competitions. Over the summer, Castillo won stroke play at the North and South Amateur, was in the semifinals of the Western Amateur, and advanced to the round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur. In January, Castillo also notched a top-10 finish at the Australian Master of the Amateurs Championship.

Axelsen and Castillo’s collegiate seasons continue on Sunday, March 11 as the Florida men’s golf team is set to compete in the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas, Nev.