A high school senior was a double winner as the Alabama Golf Association announced its player of the year awards this week.
Gordon Sargent, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, who has signed with Vanderbilt University, was named Men’s Amateur Player of the Year and also the Boys Junior Player of the Year.
Other winners include Mychael O’Berry (Women’s Amateur Player of the Year, John Wright (Men’s Senior), Susan West (Women’s Senior) and Michaela Morard (Girls Junior).
A season-long ranking system is used to determine the top players. Complete rankings are available on the Alabama Golf Association website.
2020 Alabama Golf Association Player of the Year Award Winners
Men: Sargent put on a record-breaking performance in his only AGA start in 2020 – a win in the Alabama State Amateur Championship. Additionally, he reached the Round of 16 at the North and South Championship, made the cut at the Southern Amateur Championship and qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship.
“It’s a huge honor to be named Alabama Men’s Player of the Year, especially in a year like 2020,” Sargent told the Alabama Golf Association. “Very thankful that the AGA put on the State Amateur and other events. It meant a lot to play in them, and it gave me a lot of confidence going into 2021.”
He also repeated as the Boys Alabama Golf Association Junior Player of the Year.
Other Winners of Player of Alabama Amateur Golf Association Player of the Year Awards
Women: O’Berry, a junior at Auburn University won her only AGA start of the season at the Women’s Stroke Play Championship. She also reached the Round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.“This means a lot to me, especially considering the year we’ve all had,” O’Berry told the AGA. “I’m thankful that I had the chance to play golf this summer. The AGA has always been so fun to play in, and I’ve met some of my best friends through it. I’m just super grateful.”
It was O’Berry’s first Women’s Player of the Year honor.
Senior Men’s :Fairhope’s John Wright had three top-15 finishes in AGA events, including a runner-up finish in the Alabama State Senior Amateur Championship. Wright also tied for seventh in the 38th Alabama State Four-Ball Championship and tied for 14th in the Alabama State Amateur. He also won the Golfweek Senior Player-of-the-Year Classic.
“I’m very honored,” Wright said. “There are a lot of great names on that list in the state of Alabama from over the years, and to be recognized alongside such great players is an honor.”
Senior Women’s: Tuscaloosa’s Susan West maintained her stranglehold on the Senior Women’s Player of the Year, capturing the honor for the fifth straight year. West won the Alabama Senior Women’s Match Play title along with the State Senior Four-Ball. She also was runner-up at the State Women’s Senior Amateur.
“While it is such an honor to be named Alabama Senior Women’s Player of the Year, I’m so grateful that we even got to play this year,” West said. “Very thankful to have played golf, period. I am always moved by the relationships that this sport creates and allows for us to develop. I count it a blessing!”
Junior Girls: Like Sargent, Huntsville’s Michaela Morard won her only AGA start in 2020, taking home the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship crown for the fifth time. The freshman at the University of Alabama, now has a state-record nine AGA titles to surpass Martha Lang.
She capped her season by winning the Tennessee Women’s Open and reaching the Round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
The Alabama Junior Players of the Year awards are based on Alabama State Junior Golf Rankings. The points accumulated from September 1 thru August 31 of the current year are taken into consideration. The top boy and girl in the current year rankings, as of August 31, will be awarded the Alabama State Junior Player of the Year.
By Alabama Golf News staff
Featured image: Alabama Golf Association
