Northwestern senior Lumsden named Byron Nelson Award winner

Ryan Lumsden of Northwestern has been named the recipient of the 2019 Byron Nelson Award presented by Srixon/Cleveland Golf, in cooperation with the Four Seasons Resort and Club Las Colinas, the Salesmanship Club of Dallas and the Golf Coaches Association of America.

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 as well as 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.

A native of London, England, Lumsden holds the third-best career stroke average in program history. A two-time All-Big Ten and PING Midwest All-Region selection, he has two career victories, both at the Marquette Intercollegiate during his sophomore and senior seasons. Lumsden also carded eight career top-five finishes. His 71.88 stroke average his sophomore season was the eighth best in Northwestern golf history.

A Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar and two-time Academic All-Big Ten member, Lumsden is majoring in economics.

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Off the golf course, Lumsden volunteered as part of the Student Athlete Advisory Council Canned Food Drive for four years, where Northwestern’s varsity teams collect over 15,000 food items for local charity. He has volunteered at Orrington Elementary School weekly helping coach sports and PE classes, NU Field Day, and through his fraternity helped raise over $53,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Lumsden and the Northwestern golf team also volunteered at a local golf course in Evanston, Ill., helping with course restoration.

“I am not bold enough to believe I will ever match Mr. Nelson’s achievements on, or off, the course,” said Lumsden. “Indeed, in combining the two, I am not sure anyone ever has. But to be viewed as an individual worthy of the award that carries his names is the greatest honor I could think of as I finish my college career.”