Four OCU golfers are semifinalists for NAIA Jack Nicklaus Player of Year award

NORMAN, Okla. – The top-ranked Oklahoma City University men’s golf team had four members named as semifinalists for the 2017 NAIA Jack Nicklaus player of the year award.

Matthew Cheung, Rupert Kaminski, Garrison Mendoza and David Meyers of OCU were all tabbed as semifinalists for the award. Jack Nicklaus presents the award winner June 4 at a ceremony during the final round of The Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

The five recipients will compete in the Barbasol Shootout for an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship on July 20-23 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Grand National in Opelika, Ala.

Cheung, a senior out of Brisbane, Australia, currently sits 11th in the NAIA with a 72.00 strokes per round this season. Cheung’s best finish this season came when he won the U.C. Ferguson Classic. He also garnered all-Sooner Athletic Conference honors after finishing fifth in the SAC Championships on April 24-25 at Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City.

Kaminski, the back-to-back conference individual champion, is averaging 71.22 strokes per 18 holes this season to rank fifth in the country. Kaminski, a sophomore from Johannesburg, South Africa, was one of five finalists for the award last season. He has won four individual titles this season and has finished in the top five in seven of nine tournaments.

Mendoza has two top-10 finishes this season, including a tie for fourth place at the Mid-South in the fall. Mendoza, a junior from Clinton, Okla., has a scoring average of 73.78 this season.

A freshman from Johannesburg, South Africa, Meyers has six top-10 finishes this season and is currently 22nd in the country with a 72.59 stroke average. Meyers won the individual title at the Southern Plains Intercollegiate this season and has finished in the top 10 in each of his last three tournaments.

Defending national champion Oklahoma City will compete in the NAIA Championships on May 16-19 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. The Stars own national titles in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2016.

NAIA Jack Nicklaus Award National Player of the Year Award Semifinalists
Presented by Barbasol

Steven Anderson, Texas Wesleyan

Fernando Arzate, Bellevue (Neb.)

Andre Becerra, Bellevue

Jake Bauer, Johnson & Wales (Fla.)

Matthew Cheung, Oklahoma City

Steven Diack, Wayland Baptist (Texas)

Montana Frame, Oregon Tech

Johnnie Greco, William Jessup

Fraser Hall, Johnson & Wales (Fla.)

Austin Harmon, Central Baptist (Ark.)

Andrew Harrison, British Columbia

Erik Jonasson, Keiser (Fla.)

Rupert Kaminski, Oklahoma City

Ben Kendrick, Cumberlands (Ky.)

Newport Laparojkit, South Carolina Beaufort

SM Lee, Dalton State (Ga.)

Rowan Lester, Texas Wesleyan

Rasmus Lind, Lindsey Wilson

Billy McKenzie, William Woods

Garrison Mendoza, Oklahoma City

David Meyers, Oklahoma City

Cameron Moralee, Keiser

Francisco de Oliveira, Point

Myles Pfingsten, Grand View (Iowa)

Alex Rainville, Johnson & Wales (Fla.)

David Ravetto, Texas Wesleyan

Lawren Rowe, Victoria

P.J. Shields, Dalton State

Paxton Shuman, Coastal Georgia

Andrew Williamson, Wayland Baptist