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Freshman of the Year Award to be Named for Mickelson

Freshman of the Year Award to be Named for Mickelson
Honor to be named after collegiate and PGA Tour great

NORMAN, Okla. ? The Freshman of the Year Award is to be named after collegiate and PGA Tour great Phil Mickelson announced the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). The Phil Mickelson Award will be awarded to the top freshman player in NCAA Divisions I, II and III following each respective Division?s championship as selected by the GCAA.

One of only four players to receive first-team All-America honors for four years, Mickelson was one of the greatest players in the history of college golf. He is also one of only two three-time NCAA champions, one of only five collegiate golfers to win medalist honors back-to-back and is the only player to win outright NCAA crowns in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Mickelson was the recipient of the Jack Nicklaus Award - which is presented to the top men?s player in college golf - three times and won the inaugural Division I Arnold Palmer Award winner in 1992. He was also named Pac-10 Player of the Year three times and was named first-team All-Pac-10 four times. A 2002 inductee into the ASU Hall of Fame, Mickelson notched a school record 16 career tournament victories. He has continued has success in the PGA Tour ranks. Mickelson has 23 career Tour victories, most recently the 2004 Masters Tournament.

"I was very fortunate to grow up watching and admiring such great players as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Byron Nelson, three of the greatest players of all time," said Mickelson. "For me now to be included with them in the year-end awards is truly a great honor. The Freshman of the Year Award goes to a player who has shown tremendous talent and maturity to play at a high level during an often difficult transition into college life."

The Division III Mickelson Award will be announced on May 13 while the Division II award will be announced on May 15 and Division I on June 4.