Men's Golf 6/5/2011 2:45:07 PM

Carpenter wins Nicklaus Award

From left to right: Patrick Cantlay, UCLA (DI); Jack Nicklaus; Alex Carpenter, Abilene Christian (DII); Chris Morris, Centre College (DIII); Oscar Stark, Oklahoma Christian (NAIA); and Brandt Garon, Meridian Community College (NJCAA).

DUBLIN, Ohio – ACU sophomore Alex Carpenter added to his burgeoning collegiate resume on Sunday when he was named the winner of the Jack Nicklaus Award as the Golf Coaches' Association of America Player of the Year.

Carpenter was one of five players from around the country honored with the award, which goes to the top player at each level of collegiate golf. Carpenter won the award as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year, while Patrick Cantlay of UCLA won the award at the NCAA Division I level and Chris Morris of Centre College won the NCAA Division III award.

Oklahoma Christian's Oscar Stark won the NAIA award and Brandt Garon of Meridian Community College won the award at the NJCAA level.

Carpenter won seven tournaments in 2010-11, including six straight. He was a first team all-Lone Star Conference selection as he helped ACU to a third-place finish at the conference championship tournament and placed fourth individually.

Four of his wins came in the fall while three tournament titles came during the spring season. Carpenter had three additional top-10 finishes and only placed outside of the top 20 twice in 13 starts. His single-season scoring average of 70.89 in 2010-11 is the lowest single-season scoring average in ACU history.

He helped lead the Wildcats to the NCAA Division II South Central / Midwest Region Super Regional championship and a third-place finish at the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Last year as a freshman, Carpenter won the Phil and Amy Mickelson Award as the nation's top freshman. Earlier this year, Carpenter's teammate, Cyril Bouniol, won the Byron Nelson Award.

Nicklaus, a Big Ten and NCAA Champion at The Ohio State University, helped inspire and create the Jack Nicklaus Award in 1988. Nicklaus recognized the recipients during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, just outside of Nicklaus' hometown of Columbus.

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