UF MGOLF: Castillo Named Ben Hogan Award Golfer of the Month

Ricky Castillo was named the Ben Hogan Award’s February Golfer of the Month after posting back-to-back individual titles.

FORT WORTH, Texas – After opening the spring season with back-to-back individual titles, freshman Ricky Castillo was named the Ben Hogan Award’s February Golfer of the Month, the Ben Hogan Trophy Foundation announced Thursday.

Fifteen total ballots were cast, with 12 coming from members of the Hogan Trophy Foundation and Friends of Golf and three social media fan ballots. The other finalists were juniors John Pak of Florida State and Davis Thompson of Georgia. Coinciding with the yearly Ben Hogan Award, voters consider all college, amateur and professional event results.

Castillo opened his February slate with an individual victory at the Sea Best Invitational after shooting 8-under par. He then followed that up a 13-under 197 performance at the VyStar Gators Invitational to claim the individual title by eight strokes. Over that span, Castillo posted an impressive 66.50 scoring average with a low round of 63.

The Yorba Linda, Calif., native is currently listed as the No. 2 amateur in the world and was just one of three freshmen named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list last month.