Submitted by Alan Babbitt
Jack Nicklaus looked up to Hope College golfer Josh Gibson as he presented him the NCAA Division III Player of the Year Award – prompting a quick quip about the weather up there.
The playful question — as well as compliments — from the golfing legend added a few more unforgettable moments to cherish in early June when Gibson was one of five golfers to be presented their national honor from Nicklaus during the PGA Tour’s Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club. The collegiate award was created in 1988.
“It’s neat every year to have these young men here,” said Nicklaus, referring to Gibson and fellow honorees. “We’re seeing the stars of the future, the golfers we’re going to see here at the Memorial tournament for years to come, probably quicker than I think. Congratulations to all of them. I wish them continued luck.”
Gibson is Hope College’s first national golfer of the year (2018) and was 2017 NCAA Div. III national champion.
“Getting to meet Mr. Nicklaus is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Gibson said of Nicklaus. “I heard a lot about him, but it’s cool to finally meet him.
“It’s cool to see all the hard work pay off,” Gibson added, reflecting on a couple seasons that included winning a national title in a playoff as a sophomore, shooting school-record rounds of 61 and 64 last fall and helping his team post its second consecutive highest finish at nationals with a 6th-place effort. He averaged 70.5 strokes per round as a junior. “It was a great season.”
