PROVO -- BYU head golf coach Bruce Brockbank announced the signing of Two-time Utah Amateur Champion Daniel Summerhays of Farmington, Southern Nevada Golf Association Junior Player of the Year Mitch Carlson of Las Vegas, and Colombian Oscar Alvarez of Bogota who will all enroll at BYU in the fall of 2002.
"This class of golfers is as good as we've had here at BYU," Brockbank said. "These three guys will definitely have an immediate impact on our team and I couldn't be happier with the quality of student athletes we have coming into our program."
Summerhays, who was just named the Utah Golf Association's Player of the Year (the state's highest amateur honor), was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Amateur in Eastlake C.C., Atlanta, Ga. in 2001. He was also a U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying medallist this past summer. In 2000, Summerhays became the youngest Utah Amateur champion (16 years old) in 83 years and repeated as champion in 2001. He list of tournament victories includes medallist honors at the Boys Junior Americas Cup. The Davis High senior is ranked No. 34 in the latest Golfweek/Titleist Amateur Rankings.
"I believe Daniel Summerhays is one of the top student athletes in the country. He has a 4.0 grade point average, is No. 1 in his class and has already earned 42 college credits. On top of that he has an outstanding golf game to back that up, and he is a real gutsy competitor."
Carlson, was not only named the Southern Nevada Golf Association Junior Golfer fo the Year, but also earned the Nevada High School Co-Player of the Year honors as a junior at Durango High School. In 2000 his third-place finish was good enough to help Durango H.S. to win the 2000 Nevada State Championship. Carlson earned medalist honors at the AJGA Arizona Junior Classic Qualifier, and he later tied for seventh out of 108 competitors in the Arizona Junior Classic. He was the low amateur (tied for fifth) in the PGA Buick Open Qualifier in 2001. His list of victories include medallist honors at the 2001 Clark County Amateur, where he finished 7-under-par. He is also a three-time winner of the Nevada Tournament of Champions. Carlson's older brother Brent is a Sophomore linebacker on BYU's MWC Championship football team.
"Mitch has a great golf swing and is a true competitor," Brockbank said. "He has had outstanding success at the national level which has prepared him well for collegiate golf."
Alvarez, who is currently the No. 1 ranked amateur and junior golfer in Colombia, continues a long tradition of great golfers at BYU from that South American nation. His list of accomplishments include first place in the South American Junior in Quito, Ecuador and second place in the South American Junior in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He placed eighth in the World Amateur in Berlin, Germany, 7th in the Junior World Team Championship in Osaka, Japan and 2nd in the International Cup in Lima, Peru. His best competitive round was a 61 (-11) at Club La Pradera de Potosi.
"I had a colleague come up to me and tell me, 'You're getting the best junior golfer in South America." Brockbank said. "Oscar has an outstanding short game and will come in and fill the shoes of past BYU Colombian golfers Manuel Merizalde and Jose Garrido."