Ole Miss senior Braden Thornberry was named the recipient of the McCormack Medal on Monday, given annually to the top male player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
As a result, Thornberry will be exempt into the 2019 U.S. Open and Open Championship – provided he remains amateur.
The 2017 NCAA individual champion, who has won a school-record 11 events for the Rebels, is planning to enter the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School. If he advances to the final stage, ensuring at least some status on the developmental circuit, he would turn pro.
Thornberry recently lost in the Round of 64 at the U.S. Amateur. He was still able to maintain a slim advantage over Justin Suh, Collin Morikawa and newly minted U.S. Amateur champion Viktor Hovland.
Recent winners of the award include Joaquin Niemann, Maverick McNealy, Jon Rahm and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
