Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Junior John Axelsen and freshman Ricky Castillo are among 10 athletes named to the Final Haskins Award Watch List, Golfweek announced Tuesday.
 
The Haskins Award is considered the most prestigious award in collegiate golf, and is presented annually to the most outstanding male golfer. The winner of the award is voted on by a select group of media members, coaches and peers, and despite the shortened season, will still be presented in May on the Golf Channel.
 
From the first outing of the 2019-20 season, Axelsen was a consistent presence for the Gators. Over seven events, the junior notched six top-15 finishes, including placing in the top-3 on three occasions.
 
16 of Axelsen's 21 rounds were either over or under par, with eight in the 60s. He finished five tournaments under par with his best performance coming at the Sea Best Invitational at 5 under to take second. Those numbers put his adjusted scoring average at 70.22 and allowed him to finish the season as the No. 7 collegiate player in Golfstat's Division I player rankings.
 
In his inaugural season as a Gator, Castillo dominated. Over his 21 rounds played, Castillo posted a 70.08 scoring average to finish inside the top 25 individually in every event. All 21 rounds that the freshman played were included in the Gators' counting scores.
 
In addition, Castillo opened the spring with back-to-back individual titles, claiming the crown at the Sea Best Invitational and VyStar Gators Invitational by a combined 11 strokes. The Yorba Linda, Calif., native then followed those performances with an impressive 5-under 211 at Southern Highlands Collegiate to tie for sixth. Through his nine rounds of the spring, Castillo shot a collective 26 under with a scoring average of 67.78.
 
Quotable
John Axelsen, Junior
"I'm extremely grateful to be on the Final Watch List … I know Ricky and I are both on the Watch List, but it is really a team effort. The elite environment is everything."
 
Ricky Castillo, Freshman
"It's an honor to be able to represent the University of Florida with John and be on the Haskins Award Watch List."
 
Final Haskins Award Watch List

• John Augenstein, Vanderbilt
• John Axelsen, Florida
• Ricky Castillo, Florida
• Cooper Dossey, Baylor
• Peter Kuest, BYU
• William Mouw, Pepperdine
• John Pak, Florida State
• Sahith Theegala, Pepperdine
• Davis Thompson, Georgia