SwingU, the golf technology and media company, announced today the seven divisional winners of the SwingU College Player of the Month Award for March 2023 in partnership with the Golf Coaches Association of America.
Ben Carr of Georgia Southern (Division I), Beck Burnette of Lee (Division II), Caden Hodges of Fayetteville State (HBCU), Alex Price of Christopher Newport (Division III), Kade Cannon of St. Thomas (FL) (NAIA), Matthis Lefèvre of New Mexico JC (NJCAA Division I) and Chase Kaiser of Mississippi Gulf Coast (NJCAA Division II) were selected to by a committee of coaches from their respective divisions.
Carr finished at least T2 in all three March tournaments, leading Georgia Southern to team victories in two of them. The fifth-year senior from Columbus, Ga., recorded a 10-under 206 (73-65-68, T2) at the Colleton River Collegiate and an eight-under 208 (68-68-72) that included a birdie on the 54th and final hole to win the Schenkel Invitational by one shot. Against seven teams ranked in the top 14, the month concluded with a 10-under 203 (66-69-68) to finish one shot behind PGA TOUR University’s current No.1 Ludvig Åberg at the Valspar Collegiate.
After ending February with a win at the Saint Leo Invitational, Burnette collected victories in his first two March appearances and a Gulf South Conference Golfer of the Week honor on March 9. The senior from Blairsville, Ga. carded a 12-under 204 (72-63-69) to defeat defending individual national champion Joel Sylven by three strokes at the Las Vegas Desert Classic and a seven-under 209 (71-70-68) to claim a one-stroke victory at the Southeastern Collegiate, both against fields that included eight ranked teams. He ended his month with a T3 finish at the State Farm Tennessee River Rumble (-7, 69-71-69).
Hodges grabbed victories in all three March tournaments and led Fayetteville State to two team wins and a runner-up finish. The freshman from Dunn, N.C., began the month going 72-71-74 (+4, 217) for a two-stroke victory at the WSSU Ram Shootout and followed it up the next week with a 69-72 (-1, 141) three-shot win at the JCSU-CIAA Southern Tournament. He concluded his March with a one-stroke victory at the VSU Spring Classic, carding a 73-72-73 (+1, 218). Hodges hadn’t claimed victory since his 14-shot triumph at Chateau Elan Resort and the D2 HBCU Invitational in September.
In his first two tournaments of the spring, Price recorded a third-place finish (-3, 68-72-73) at the Savannah Invitational, one shot out of the playoff, and a 14-under 202 (67-67-68) for a seven-stroke win at the Jekyll Island Collegiate against eight of the top nine ranked teams in Division III. The senior from Hillsboro, Va., led the field with 20 birdies and broke his own tournament record of 11-under set last year. The rounds of 67 at the Jekyll Island Collegiate tied Price’s lowest of 2022-23 thus far.
Cannon collected two wins and a runner-up finish in March. He began the month with an opening-round 65 and a three-under 210 (65-72-73) to finish one shot back of defending national champion Jakob Stavang Stubhaug at the Keiser Kup. The junior from Plantation, Fl., then went 68-71-72 (+1, 211) to top an NCAA Division II-heavy field at the Saddlebrook Spring Kickoff for a one-stroke victory. Cannon completed March with a two-stroke win (-3, 76-64-73) at the STU Miami Invitational while leading St. Thomas (FL) to a 19-shot team victory.
Lefèvre won his ninth-career collegiate tournament when he shot a 9-under 204 (69-67-68) at the TankLogix Collegiate on March 14. Those nine wins are a New Mexico JC school record. The sophomore from Hossegor, France, who also received NJCAA Division I’s SwingU College Player of the Month in February, began March with a four-under 138 (67-71) to finish T2 and one shot back at The Happening. Lefèvre has now placed in the top four in eight straight tournaments and inside the top 10 in every event this season for the Thunderbirds.
Kaiser recorded three top-fives in March, including his third victory of the season at the East Central Spring Invitational, and led Mississippi Gulf Coast to three team wins. The sophomore from Natchez, Ms., who also received NJCAA Division II’s SwingU College Player of the Month in February, carded a seven-under 137 (68-69) for the two-stroke victory at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, a two-over 219 (73-68-77) to finish T3 and one shot back at the Glen Lakes Invitational, and a four-under 138 (68-70) for another T3 finish at the Lou Hart Invitational.
The SwingU College Player of the Month is awarded to players from seven divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, HBCU, NJCAA Division I and NJCAA Division II – based on a voting committee made up of coaches from the respective divisions.
About SwingU
Headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, SwingU is a sports technology and media company focused on golf game improvement. The company owns and operates the top-rated golf game-improvement app across GPS, scorecard, statistics and instruction. SwingU Clubhouse publishes an email newsletter reaching hundreds of thousands of golfers daily. Lastly, SwingU Coach offers the ultimate coaching & statistics platform for both golf teams and academies. For more company information, please visit www.swingu.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 seven 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.collegiategolf.com.
Media Contact
Chris Chaney
chris@swingu.com
