Auburn’s Michael Johnson named Jack Nicklaus Award semifinalist
AUBURN, Ala. (auburntigers.com) – Michael Johnson has been named a semifinalist for the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award presented by Barbasol, announced the Golf Coaches Association of America on Thursday.
Johnson, who was named to the United States team for the Arnold Palmer Cup two weeks ago, is having a record-setting senior season, winning a school record three tournaments. He currently holds the lowest stroke average in school history at 70.06.
His three victories in the Primland Collegiate, Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate and the Schenkel Invitational are the most in a season in school history and his five career wins are second only to Jimmy Green’s six. His stroke average is ranked second in the SEC and seventh nationally, and he is ranked eighth nationally in the Golfstat Cup.
The Birmingham, Ala., native is also a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award and is on the Haskins Award Watch List.
The Nicklaus Award finalists will be named May 25 while the Nicklaus Award recipients will be announced June 2 with the honor presented by Jack Nicklaus at a ceremony during the final round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
In addition to receiving the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award, the five recipients will compete in the Barbasol Shootout for an exemption into the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in Opelika at Grand National July 14-17.
The Barbasol Shootout will be held June 4 at the storied Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, where Nicklaus learned the game of golf as a youngster.
Johnson and the Tigers will learn where they are headed for their seventh consecutive NCAA Regional on May 5 at 8:30 am CT on The Golf Channel. Auburn will be making its 25th appearance in the last 27 years in the NCAA Regional.
