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First spring watch list for 2022-23 men’s college golf Player of the Year

With every passing week, the men’s college golf season creeps closer to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Haskins Award announced Friday its first spring watch list, featuring 15 of the best men’s college golfers this season. Gordon Sargent, a sophomore at Vanderbilt who has risen to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is having a stellar season, but there are plenty of other big names in contention.

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 reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech

2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill

2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill

Ludvig Aberg looks over a putt on the 17th green during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. (Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)

Aberg, a senior who finished T-24 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour last week, won The Prestige at PGA West and has also recorded finishes of 2, T-5 and T-8.

Cole Anderson, Florida State

Live and Work in Maine Open

Live and Work in Maine Open

Amateur Cole Anderson plays his shot from the 12th tee during the final round of the Live and Work in Maine Open at Falmouth Country Club on June 26, 2022 in Falmouth, Maine. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)

Cole Anderson has been a model of consistency. In six starts, the junior hasn’t finished worse than T-22 and has collected a second, T-6 and T-8, as well.

David Ford, North Carolina

2023 Jones Cup

2023 Jones Cup

North Carolina’s David Ford won the Jones Cup on Sunday. (Photo: Jones Cup)

Ford, a sophomore who won the Jones Cup in January, also won the Stephens Cup and has five top-10 finishes in six starts for the Tar Heels.

Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida

2022 US Amateur

2022 US Amateur

Nick Gabrelcik hits his second shot on the first hole fairway during the round of 64 at the 2022 US Amateur at The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, NJ on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (Grant Halverson/USGA)

Gabrelcik, a junior, has an impressive record this year. He has one win, five top-five finishes and seven top 10s in eight starts.

Ian Gilligan, Long Beach State

Ian Gilligan

Ian Gilligan

Ian Gilligan has two wins this fall for Long Beach State. (Photo: LBSU Athletics)

The stellar sophomore has recorded two victories, four top-three finishes and six finishes in the top 15.

Austin Greaser, North Carolina

2022 US Amateur

2022 US Amateur

Austin Greaser hits a tee shot at the 2022 US Amateur at Arcola Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)

Greaser missed some time due to injury, but when the senior has been in the lineup, he has been dominant. His finishes: T3, T4, T5, T16, T20.

Ben James, Virginia

2022 Streamsong Invitational

2022 Streamsong Invitational

Virginia’s Ben James poses with the trophy after winning the 2022 Streamsong Invitational in his first college start. (Photo: Virginia Athletics)

James is having a stellar start to his college career. He has won twice, two of his first three starts, and has finished in the top three in five of his six tournaments.

Tommy Kuhl, Illinois

Tommy Kuhl

Tommy Kuhl

Illinois’ Tommy Kuhl. (Photo: Illinois Athletics)

In six starts this season, Kuhl has finished outside the top five once. He has a T-2, T-3, T-4, fifth and T-5.

Christo Lamprecht, Georgia Tech

2022 US Amateur

2022 US Amateur

Christo Lamprecht hits his second shot on hole 18 at the 2022 US Amateur at Arcola Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey. (Kathryn Riley/USGA)

The junior won the Inverness Intercollegiate and has finished inside the top 10 four times. His stroke average is 70.51.

Yuxin Lin, Florida

Southern Highlands Collegiate 2022

Southern Highlands Collegiate 2022

Florida junior Yuxin Lin hits his approach shot out of the fairway bunker at the par-4 10th hole in the final round of the 2022 Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas. (Photo: Conner Penfold/AmateurGolf.com)

Lin has gotten stronger as the season has gone on. He won the Southern Highlands Collegiate and has three top fives and four top 10s, all coming in his last four starts.

Christian Maas, Texas

Christian Maas

Christian Maas

Texas Christiaan Maas hits a tee shot on the 1st hole during an NCAA golf tournament on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, in Olympia Fields, Ill. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Maas finished runner-up at the Southern Highlands and also had a T-3 at the Ben Hogan and a T-5 at the Southwestern Invitational. His worst finish is a T-20 in six starts.

Matthew Riedel, Vanderbilt

Matthew Riedel

Matthew Riedel

Matthew Riedel, Vanderbilt. 2023 Cabo Collegiate, Third Round. Twin Dolphin Golf Club, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, March 7 2023. (Photo: Darren Carroll, Cabo Collegiate)

Riedel has three top-five finishes and four top 10s in seven starts for the No. 1 Commodores. He also won the stroke play portion of the SEC Match Play tournament.

Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt

Gordon Sargent, Vanderbilt. 2023 Cabo Collegiate, First Round Twin Dolphin Golf Club, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, March 5 2023. (Photo: Darren Carroll, Cabo Collegiate)

Sargent, the reigning NCAA champion, has risen to No. 2 in the WAGR. He has two victories, five top fives and has finished in the top 10 in all seven of his starts.

Calum Scott, Texas Tech

Calum Scott

Calum Scott

Texas Tech’s Calum Scott hits a tee shot. (Photo: Texas Tech Athletics)

Scott, a sophomore, has a solo second and three top-10 finishes. He also had big wins in the Big 12 match play final and against North Carolina in Hawaii last month.

Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford

Michael Thorbjornsen, Stanford. 2023 Cabo Collegiate, Third Round. Twin Dolphin Golf Club, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, March 7 2023. (Photo: Darren Carroll, Cabo Collegiate)

The junior won his first start at the Fighting Illini Invitational, and has since recorded no worse than a T-8 in seven starts, including a pair of T-3s.

Story originally appeared on GolfWeek