Top collegians earn invites to Nationwide Tour event

text size

The Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational announced on Friday the list of 10 college players who have been invited to participate in the $750,000 Nationwide Tour event. The qualification is based on the Golf Coaches Association of America's Division I Ping All-America First Team and the Division I winners of the Arnold Palmer Award (NCAA Division I Men's Championship medalist) and the Jack Nicklaus Award (College Player of the Year).

The second-year event returns to the nation's top-rated collegiate golf course (Golf Digest ranking), the Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio. Dates this year are July 21-27.

Kevin Chappell of UCLA was recognized in all three categories (All-America Team and winner of the Palmer and Nicklaus Awards) on the heels of his win in last week's Men's Championship, which was held at Purdue University's Kampen Course in West Lafayette, Ind. He also led his UCLA Bruins to their first national team championship in golf since 1998.

Joining Chappell, who was a senior at UCLA from Fresno, Calif., in earning a spot on the Ping All-America First Team and an invitation to the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational are:

Jonas Blixt - Senior at Florida State University, from Hammaro, Sweden

Jorge Campillo - Junior at Indiana University, from Caceres, Spain

Rickie Fowler - Freshman at Oklahoma State University, from Murrieta, Calif.

Rory Hie - Sophomore at the University of Southern California, from Lakewood, Calif.

Sihwan Kim - Freshman at Stanford University, from Buena Park, Calif.

Jamie Lovemark - Sophomore at the University of Southern California, from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Joel Sjoholm - Sophomore at Georgia State University, from Gothenburg, Sweden

Webb Simpson - Senior at Wake Forest University, from Raleigh, N.C.

Michael Thompson - Senior at the University of Alabama, from Tucson, Ariz.

One other invitation category is the reigning U.S. Amateur champion, Colt Knost. As a 2008 Nationwide Tour member and recent Tour winner, Knost is already eligible for the event.

Last year's inaugural Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational was won by Daniel Summerhays, who earned a spot in the field via his 2007 All-America status. The Brigham Young University graduate became the first amateur to capture a Nationwide Tour trophy since the Tour's formation in 1990. He is currently a member of the Nationwide Tour and is scheduled to be in Columbus next month.

The purse of $750,000 for the 144-player field is the fourth largest on Tour. The GOLF CHANNEL will broadcast ten hours of live coverage from Thursday through Sunday.

The college players in the field will be eligible to compete even if they turn pro before the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational.

Ohio State University alumnus and former All-American John Cook is this year's Honorary Chairman. He follows in the footsteps of fellow Buckeye Jack Nicklaus, who served in the same capacity in kicking off last year's event.