Cole Hammer wins Mark H. McCormack medal as top-ranked am

August 21, 2019 | by Royal & Ancient

Cole Hammer (USGA photo)

As the McCormack Medal recipient, Hammer earns exemptions into the 2020 U.S. Open Championship and 2020 Open Championship.

Cole Hammer, a 19-year-old from Houston, has won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the leading men’s player in the 2019 World Amateur Golf Ranking. As the McCormack Medal recipient, Hammer earns exemptions into the 2020 U.S. Open Championship and 2020 Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, provided he remains an amateur.

Hammer has spent eight weeks as the world’s top-ranked amateur golfer and took the top spot shortly after the conclusion of his freshman year at the University of Texas. That included victories at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, Lamkin Grips SD Classic and the NCAA Austin Regional. He also achieved top-five finishes in the Amer Ari Invitational, Augusta Haskins Award Invitational, ASU Thunderbird Invitational, Big 12 Championship and the Northeast Amateur. He was the recipient of the 2019 Phil Mickelson Award as college golf’s Freshman of the Year and helped Texas to a runner-up finish in the 2019 NCAA Championship.

Hammer, who made his debut in the U.S. Open in 2015 at Chambers Bay at the age of 15, was also among the finalists for the Haskins Award and Ben Hogan Award this year.

In 2018, Hammer won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Garrett Barber, as well as the Western Amateur and Azalea Amateur championships. He was also a semifinalist in both the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and U.S. Junior Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club.

Hammer will represent the USA in the Walker Cup Match on Sept. 7-8 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.

He was previously selected to represent the USA in the World Amateur Team Championship and the Arnold Palmer Cup.

“This has been an incredible year and I am honored to be recognized with the McCormack Medal,” said Hammer. “I am grateful to everyone who has helped me get to this level and thankful for my family and friends who continue to support me.”

About the Mark H. McCormack Award

Cole Hammer wins Mark H. McCormack medal as top-ranked am

Established in 2007, the Mark H McCormack Medal is named after the late founder of sports marketing company IMG and is awarded to the player ranked number one in the WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING® following The Amateur, the U.S. Amateur or the European ...

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