Credit to Thomas Dugger Dick | Assistant Communications Director – 12thman.com
NORMAN, Okla. – The Texas A&M men’s golf team had four players named to the NCAA Division I PING All-Central Region Team, released by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Sam Bennett, Phichaksn Maichon, William Paysse and Vishnu Sadagopan were recognized for their efforts during the 2022-23 campaign.
Bennett had stellar year since winning the 122nd U.S. Amateur last August. He posted a 70.22 stroke average in 2022-23 and earned All-SEC First Team recognition. He won his fifth collegiate title, taking the trophy at the 2023 John A. Burns Intercollegiate. He also finished eighth at the NCAA Salem Regional and sank a birdie putt on No. 18 to send the Aggies to the 5th place playoff. The highlight of the year was earning the Silver Cup as the low amateur at the Masters tournament, finishing 16th at 2-under 286 to become the first amateur to finish in the top 20 since 2005.
Maichon was the Aggies top performer in the spring. He finished in the top 10 in five of his eight spring events and finished 11th at the NCAA Championships. He also finished 14th at the NCAA Salem Regional, third at the SEC Championship and second at the Aggie Invitational while earning his first career title at the Huntsville Toyota Bearkat invitational. He finished the year with a 70.33 scoring average in 34 rounds over 11 tournaments, including 1.17 versus par.
Paysse earned All-SEC recognition for the second time, picking up second-team distinction in his last season. He posted a 71.50 scoring average over 10 tournaments in 2022-23. He started the year with co-medalist honors at the Badger Invitational with a score of 9-under 135 in the two-round tournament. He logged three top-10 finishes in 2022-23, including a third-place finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate.
Sadagopan boasted a 70.76 scoring average in 11 tournaments in 2022-23, including a -0.62 vs. par. He recorded top-10 finishes at the Badger Invitational (t-7th), the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate (t-5th) and the Louisiana Classics (t-4th). He earned Louisiana Classics All-Tournament recognition, shooting 4-over 217.
Texas A&M registered four victories in the 2022-23 campaign, including the Badger Invitational, the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, the Arizona Thunderbirds Intercollegiate and the Louisiana Classics. The Aggies finished second in the stroke play portion of the SEC Championship and advanced to the semifinal round of match play. The Maroon & White capped off the season with a fifth-place showing at the NCAA Salem Regional and 13th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.