2025 Gary Player International Golfers of the Year Winners Announced
The Golf Coaches Association of America and FlightScope have announced the five recipients of the 2025 Gary Player International Golfer of the Year Award, recognizing the top international players across college golf’s five divisions.
Division I – Josele Ballester (Arizona State / Spain)
Ballester recorded five top-five finishes, including a win at the Fighting Illini Invitational. He averaged 70.52 for the season, earned Big 12 Golfer of the Year honors, and was named a First Team PING All-American. Ranked fifth in the Clippd Scoreboard, Ballester became the first player from Spain to win the U.S. Amateur in 2024.
Division II – Sungyeop Cho (Colorado Christian / South Korea)
Cho led Colorado Christian with six top-five finishes and a 69.45 scoring average. He won the National Preview and Dennis Rose Intercollegiate and was one of four players from his program named PING First Team All-Americans. He finished the season ranked second on the Scoreboard.
Division III – Justin Chan (Carnegie Mellon / England)
Chan posted a 71.52 average and led his team with six top-five finishes. A four-time All-Region and three-time PING All-American, Chan concluded the season ranked fifth in Scoreboard. He was also a co-medalist at the Golfweek October Classic.
NAIA – Jack Whaley (Dalton State / England)
Whaley won five tournaments and placed in the top three in all nine events he played. His 69.52 average led all NAIA players and included 14 rounds in the 60s. He earned PING First Team All-American honors and repeated as the Southern States Player of the Year.
NJCAA – Adam Bresnu (Odessa College / Morocco)
Bresnu posted top-nine finishes in all 14 events, with five wins and five runner-up finishes. He opened the season with three consecutive victories and closed with a second-place finish at the NJCAA Championship. His 69.525 average was the lowest in NJCAA Division I, with 18 rounds in the 60s.
Each recipient was selected by international member coaches of the GCAA. The award honors the global legacy of Gary Player and highlights international excellence at the collegiate level.
Sources:
