The 2026 Fred Haskins Award winner is expected to be announced the first week of June, following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa
The postseason has arrived, and with it the final sprint toward the most prestigious individual honor in men's college golf.
After NCAA Regionals wrapped on May 20, the field for the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship locked in for May 29–June 3 at Omni La Costa's North Course in Carlsbad, California. And with one tournament left on the calendar, the Haskins Foundation and Golfweek have trimmed the contenders for the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel to 10 finalists.
Often called the Heisman Trophy of college golf, the Haskins Award has crowned the sport's Player of the Year since 1971, voted on by college golfers, coaches and members of the golf media. Its name plaque reads like a hall of fame: Ben Crenshaw (the inaugural winner in 1971), Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, David Duval, Matt Kuchar, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas and reigning winner David Ford of North Carolina. In all, Haskins winners have gone on to capture 316 PGA Tour titles and 32 major championships.
"Only one can win the Haskins Award — and this year, history is squarely in play."
The Favorite: Auburn's Jackson Koivun
No player has separated himself the way Jackson Koivun has. The Auburn junior sits at No. 1 in the rankings on the strength of a staggering six victories — the Amer Ari, the Gators Invitational, the Hayt, the Mason Rudolph, the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (the "Ford") and the SEC Championship — to go with 11 top-10s in 12 stroke-play starts.
Koivun already knows what this feels like. He won the Haskins as a freshman in 2024, becoming the first Auburn player and the first freshman in more than a decade to claim it. A second Haskins would make him the award's first multiple-time winner in 34 years — rare air last occupied by Phil Mickelson. He enters championship week with even more momentum, having just been named the 2026 Ben Hogan Award winner, joining Jon Rahm and Ludvig Åberg as the only players to capture that honor twice.
The Chasers
If anyone can close the gap, it's Ben James. The Virginia senior and Walker Cup standout ranks No. 2 with an absurd level of consistency — 10 top-10s in just 10 starts — and two wins, including a record-setting performance at the NCAA Bermuda Run Regional. At No. 3 is Oklahoma State junior Preston Stout, a four-time winner who captured the Big 12 Championship and fired a 65 to seize the early individual lead at La Costa. Texas senior Christiaan Maas (No. 4) banked three titles, among them the Ben Hogan and the Ford.
Don't sleep on Alabama sophomore William Jennings, the field's co-leader in pure trophies with three, or BYU freshman Kihei Akina, who posted 10 top-10s in a remarkable rookie campaign. The full field of finalists is below.
The 10 Finalists
Listed by national ranking. Stats reflect the 2025–26 regular season entering the NCAA Championship.
Watch & Follow
Swings, interviews and event coverage of the top finalists.
A Trophy With Pedigree
Founded in 1971 and based in Columbus, Georgia, the Haskins Award honors the memory of Fred Haskins, the club professional and master club-maker who mentored young golfers for a nickel-a-lesson on Saturday mornings.
by alumni
by alumni
(Crenshaw)
What's at Stake This Week
Voting is conducted among college golfers, coaches and golf media, with the winner traditionally revealed the first week of June after the conclusion of stroke play at the NCAA Championship. A standout week at Omni La Costa could still swing undecided ballots — last year's race between David Ford and Luke Clanton was the closest in two decades.
For Koivun, the math is simple and the stakes are historic: finish the job, and he etches his name alongside Mickelson as a multiple-time Haskins winner. For the chasers, one brilliant championship could rewrite the story entirely. Either way, college golf is about to crown its best.
Sources: Fred Haskins Foundation Note: The 2026 winner had not been officially announced at the time of writing.