May 5, 2009
ATLANTA – Georgia Tech’s Cameron Tringale has been named one of the five finalists for the 2009 Byron Nelson Award, given annually to the nation’s top senior golfers. The award is presented by Cleveland Golf/Srixon, in cooperation with the Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas and the Salesmanship Club of Dallas.
The other finalists are Peter Malnati of Missouri, Trent Peterson of South Dakota State, Mike Van Sickle of Marquette and Matthew Van Zandt of Texas A&M.
Won by the Yellow Jackets’ Roberto Castro in 2007 and Troy Matteson in 2003, the Nelson is the second national award for which Tringale is being considered. Named All-Atlantic Coast Conference Monday for the fourth time in his career, Tringale also is a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award, given to the nation’s top golfer across all NCAA divisions.
The senior from Laguna Niguel, Calif., a second-team All-American twice before, is having the best year of his career. The nation’s third-ranked player in the most recent Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, Tringale has won two tournaments this year and finished in the top 10 of four others. He has four victories and 21 top-10 finishes in his career, and his career stroke average of 71.81 would be the second best in Tech history if the season ended today.
Candidates for the Nelson Award must be a graduating senior and the selection committee considers equally a nominee’s entire collegiate academic and golf career and his character and integrity while in college. Particular consideration will be given to a nominee’s good citizenship, as portrayed by Mr. Byron Nelson over the course of his life and golf career.
The recipient of the Nelson Award will be named at the NCAA Division I Championships.
