Two Mountain West Men's Golfers Finalists For Byron Nelson Award

Leestma (AFA) and Collins (UNM) are two of five finalists.

Byron Nelson will salute the top scholar-athlete in college golf when the inaugural Byron Nelson Award is presented the first week in June.
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May 29, 2002

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Air Force Academy senior Ben Leestma and University of New Mexico senior Wil Collins are two of five finalists for the inaugural Byron Nelson Award presented by Cleveland Golf. The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) chose the finalists for the honor, which will be presented to a senior men's college golfer who displays excellence on the golf course, in the classroom and in the community. Student-athletes considered for the award must be named to the Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar Team by the GCAA, be a senior at a four-year degree-granting institution and graduate in the semester he receives the award.

Leestma is a two-time academic all-conference honoree and was named to the all-league team this year after posting a 72.8 stroke average over 36 rounds of play. He was selected to play as an individual at the 2002 NCAA West Regional in Albuquerque, N.M., where he finished tied for 82nd.

Collins is a three-time all-conference selection as well as a 2002 Verizon Academic All-District honoree with a 3.87 GPA in Travel and Tourism. He is also a two-time academic all-conference selection. In 2001 he was chosen as the Hogan Award winner as a junior, which honors the top student athlete in college golf. This season Collins has posted a stroke average of 73.02 over 39 rounds. He concludes his collegiate career this week as he and the Lobos compete at the NCAA Men's Golf Championship Wednesday, May 29 ñ Saturday, June 1 at the Scarlet Golf Course in Columbus, Ohio, hosted by Ohio State University.

The Mountain West is the only conference to have more than one nominee for the award. The winner of the 2002 Byron Nelson Award presented by Cleveland Golf will be announced during the first week of June.

The five finalists are:
Jason Allred, Pepperdine University
Wil Collins, University of New Mexico
Bret Guetz, Texas Christian University
Ben Leestma, Air Force Academy
Steve Ratay, University of Notre Dame

Cleveland Golf, a long time corporate sponsor with the GCAA, is in its first year of title sponsorship of the Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar teams and the Byron Nelson Award.