Sophomore David Puig has continued to make noise on a national level this spring on the links, resulting in Golf Channel and Golf Week naming him as one of the 15 players to contend for the Haskins Award, which is awarded to the nation's most outstanding golfer. Head coach Matt Thurmond chimed in on Puig's performance this season thus far.
"David has had an incredible start to the season, and I believe he will keep playing the way he has been playing and better," Thurmond said. "It's great to be in consideration for the Haskins Award and potentially put his name alongside Billy Mayfair and Phil Mickelson as a winner."
Puig has gotten off to a phenomenal start in the spring season for the Sun Devils. On Jan. 18, Puig made a match-clinching two-putt on the 18th hole to give the Sun Devils the last point they needed to beat rival Arizona Wildcats in the season-opening Copper Cup.
Just nine days later, Puig shot a final-round 70 en route to a tournament-record nine stroke win at the Southwestern Invitational on Jan. 27. Puig (70-66-70) finished 10-under par for the tournament, comfortably ahead of runner-up Joshua McCarthey of Pepperdine, who finish 1-under par. Puig was the sixth Sun Devil to win the tournament and the first to win it since Paul Casey in 1998.
Puig took his momentum to Waimea, Hawaii, where he led the Sun Devils to a 12-shot victory over USC and took the individual title at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate on Feb. 4. Puig (67-68-68) finished 13-under par, four shots clear of teammate Blake Wagoner and USC's Sixian Guo, who both finished runner-up at 9-under par. Puig was the fourth Sun Devil to win the tournament and the first to win it since Jesper Kennegard in 2009.
A couple of weeks later, Puig opened the Prestige in Palm Desert, CA with a 7-under 64 and eventually finished T-7 at 1-under for the tournament. In his most recent tournament play at the Cabo Collegiate in San Antonio, TX, Puig bounced back from early struggles to finish T-10 at even for the tournament after recording birdies on four of the last five holes in the final round of the Mar. 1-3 tournament.
Puig began the season at No. 13 in the country in Golf Channel's preseason rankings, which also had the Sun Devils as the No. 1 preseason squad. Puig and the Sun Devils will next be in action on Mar. 15-16 at the Valspar Collegiate in Palm City, FL.
Full Haskins Award Watch List
Ludvig Aberg, Texas Tech
Jacob Bridgeman, Clemson
Michael Brennan, Wake Forest
Michael Feagles, Illinois
Nick Gabrelcik, North Florida
Ryan Hall, South Carolina
Dylan Menante, Pepperdine
William Moll, Vanderbilt
Vincent Norrman, Florida State
John Pak, Florida State
Trent Phillips, Georgia
David Puig, Arizona State
Davis Thompson, Georgia
Patrick Welch, Oklahoma
Kieran Vincent, Liberty
About the Haskins Award
Celebrating its 50th year, the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel has been given to players who have captured 31 major championships and more than 400 professional tournaments around the world. Past recipients include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ben Crenshaw, and Justin Thomas. Sahith Theegala (Pepperdine) won the 50th Haskins Award in 2020. The Fred Haskins Award is the oldest individual college golf award and the only award to be voted on by players, coaches, golf SID's, and select golf media. Golf Channel and Golfweek are media partners for the Fred Haskins Award. www.haskinsaward.com
Full article: https://thesundevils.com/news/2021/3/12/mens-golfer-david-puig-continues-to-earn-top-honors.aspx
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