The Golf Coaches Association of America in partnership with FlightScope announced that Christiaan Maas of University of Texas and South Africa, Octavio Laurent of University of South Carolina Beaufort and France, Alvin Su of University of Rochester and China, Iver Sokhan-Sanj of Keiser University and Norway, and Abe Bignell of McLennan Community College and England are recipients of the 2026 Gary Player International Golfer of the Year Award presented by FlightScope. The award is given to five outstanding collegiate golfers from outside the United States, one each for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, as well as NAIA and NJCAA.

Sokhan-Sanj becomes the second Seahawks to win this award (Isac Wallin - 2024)

Also the 2026 Jack Nicklaus Award presented by Workday recipient for NAIA, Sokhan-Sanj received PING First Team All-America, PING All-South Region, and First Team All-Sun Conference honors after recording five top-three finishes and winning four of the last eight tournaments of his sophomore season. The Lørenskog, Norway, native won the Sun Conference Championship by one stroke on April 21 with a six-under 207. He captured the Music City Classic by two strokes on April 14 with a 15-under 201 (69-63-69), breaking the program's 18-hole scoring record with his nine-under 63. He also won the Kona Ice Keiser Kup by two strokes on March 10 with a four-under 209 and the Jupiter Collegiate Invitational by two strokes on October 14 with a 10-under 200. Sporting a 71.71 scoring average with 10 rounds in the 60s and 16 rounds at par or better, Sokhan-Sanj helped lead Keiser to six team wins in 2025-26 and their second consecutive Sun Conference Championship.

Considered one of golf's "Big Three" with Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player has left an everlasting impact on the game of golf by being a worldwide ambassador, philanthropist, and golf course designer. One of only six golfers to win the career grand slam, Player has continuously used his influence to improve the lives of others in a positive way and has focused strongly on education for the underprivileged. He is a member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, which celebrates sport's ability to create positive change in the world. Player's outstanding career has included 165 professional wins on six continents over seven decades. His contributions to the game earned him induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974, the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, the PGA TOUR's Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Services to Golf in 2012, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2020.
 

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About FlightScope
FlightScope is the industry leader and pioneer in tracking and analyzing sports performance data. The company was founded in 1989 when its proprietary technology was originally used to track projectiles for the defense industry. Turning its attention to the world of sports, FlightScope has introduced a variety of innovations to help improve athletic performance in multiple sports categories, including golf, baseball, softball, tennis, athletics, and cricket. For the accuracy you demand, FlightScope technology gives you performance data you can trust.
For more information, please visit www.flightscope.com.
 
About Golf Coaches Association of America
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of men's collegiate golf coaches. The GCAA's mission is to support its member coaches from six divisions, including the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA, by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic and civic endeavors. For more information, please visit www.gcaa.coach.

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