Male Amateur Athlete of the Year

David Gossett

Golfer David Gossett, a Germantown resident, has made quite a name for himself in and outside of the Memphis area. Voted by his senior class at Germantown High School as "Most Likely to succeed,'' he went on to win the 1997 TSSAA Tennessee High School Championship. That same year, he was ranked the number one junior amateur player in the nation, and led Team USA to victory in the World Junior Team Championship in Japan. Additionally, he helped lead the 1997 Junior Ryder Cup team to victory, winning both of his matches.
 

As a freshman at the University of Texas, Austin in 1998, Gossett recorded one of the finest individual campaigns in school history with four wins, eight top-five finishes and nine top-10 showings in 12 tournaments. He was named first team All-American, NCAA Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Student-Athlete of the Year.

1999 proved to be his biggest year yet. He was named the COMMERCIAL APPEAL Sportsman of the Year, won the Jim Roberts Spirit of Golf Award and was crowned the 1999 U.S. Amateur Champion, following his outstanding performance at Pebble Beach. He also made the Walker Cup team. He will compete in the 2000 Masters, U.S. Open and British Open as a result of his victory at the U.S. Amateur tournament.