May 1, 2018
NORMAN, Okla. - Auburn men's golfer Brandon Mancheno has been named a semifinalist for the 2018 Division I Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award presented by Barbasol, the Golf Coaches Association of American (GCAA) announced Tuesday.
Mancheno is one of 30 semifinalists up for the annual award, and is one of nine representing the Southeastern Conference. The freshman is the first semifinalist from Auburn since Michael Johnson in 2016.
In his first season with the Tigers, Mancheno boasts the lowest average round score on the team at 70.52 and has produced nine rounds in the 60s.
The Jacksonville, Fla. native has paced the team in five tournaments this season and touts a team-best eight top-20 finishes, including six in the top 10.
Following the SEC Championship, Mancheno has 19 rounds even or below par, including 16 below par.
Division I finalists for the award will be named May 24. Nicklaus Award recipients will be announced May 31 with the honor presented by Jack Nicklaus at a ceremony during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
In addition to receiving the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award, the five recipients will compete in the Barbasol Shootout for an exemption into the PGA TOUR's Barbasol Championship, held July 16-22, at the Champions at Keene Trace in Lexington, Ky.
The Barbasol Shootout will be held Saturday, June 2 at the storied Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio - the same club where Jack Nicklaus first learned the game of golf as a young boy.
Mancheno and the 2018 SEC Champion Tigers return to the links May 13-14 for the NCAA Regionals. Auburn will find out where it is playing Wednesday during the NCAA Selection Show at 4:30 p.m. CT on the Golf Channel.