College golf has returned, which means the race to make the NCAA Championship is on.
With that means the stars of college golf are back on campus and battling it out for major awards, victories and more. It also means a new wave of talent has entered the fold and is ready to make its mark on college golf.
There are always talented freshmen who enter the college golf ranks and become a force right away. Look no further than last year, when Auburn’s Jackson Koivun swept the major awards, including the Haskins Award, en route to leading the Tigers to their first national championship in school history.
Now, it’s time to meet the next wave of youngsters in college golf.
Here’s a look at 10 men’s freshmen to watch during the 2024-25 season.
TK Chantananuwat, Stanford
Chantananuwat has been ranked as high as sixth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking during his career and is the top Asian amateur golfer. When he was 15, he won the Asian Tour’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup to become the youngest player ever to win an event on a major professional tour.
Billy Davis, Auburn
Davis was tabbed as the No. 1 recruit in the class by Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. He also was the low scorer that led Team USA to a T-1 finish at the 2024 Junior World Cup in Japan. Additionally, Davis Monday qualified for the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico.
Wheaton Ennis, Texas A-M
This summer, Ennis won the Arizona Amateur Championship and then made an appearance in the Round of 32 at the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National.
Nicholas Gross, Alabama
Gross is ranked No. 1 in his class in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and he was also a member of the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup team and the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup team.
Jackson Herrington, Tennessee
Herrington has become one of the best juniors in the game the past year, and the player they call “Fridge” made an ace in match play at the 2024 U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine National.
Connor Graham, Texas Tech
Graham became the youngest golfer to play in the Walker Cup in the 2023 tournament. He also participated in the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup on Team Europe. From Scotland, he will join Texas Tech’s Calum Scott, the low am at the 2024 Open Championship, in the lineup.
Baylor Larrabee, UCLA
Larrabee was named Washington Junior Golf Association Player of the Year and Boys Player of the Year in 2023 after winning three titles at the Hogan Cup, Western Open and Player’s Open
Jay Leng Jr., Stanford
Leng was ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the state of California and is a multiple-time AJGA Junior Tour champion. He’s also a two-time AJGA First-Team Rolex All-American and competed in the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup with Team USA.
Ethan Paschal, North Carolina
Ethan was medalist in the 2023 North Carolina 3A state championship and led his team to the state title. He won the individual championship with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole. He earned second-team Rolex Junior All-America honors.
Parker Sands, Florida
Sands is the top player from Oklahoma, and he won the Western Junior earlier this summer. He also won the 71st Oklahoma Golf Association Junior Boys Championship.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Here are 10 men’s college golf freshmen to watch in the 2024-25 season
