EIGHT EARN AMATEUR STAR OF YEAR AWARD
U.S. Amateur champion tops honorees selected by the San Diego Hall of Champions
SAN DIEGO—(Jan. 14, 2015)—Gunn Yang, who became the first San Diegan to win the U.S. Amateur golf championship since Phil Mickelson in 1990 topped a list of eight individuals who were selected as 2014 Amateur Stars of the Year by the San Diego Hall of Champions.
The eight will be honored at the 69th Salute to the Champions on Monday, Feb. 23 at the Town & Country Hotel Convention Center, the same evening former San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, baseball great Chris Chambliss and baseball/basketball standout Tony Clark will be inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame.
Gunn captured the match play title with a 2-1 victory at the Atlanta Athletic Club. The Torrey Pines High grad was ranked 667th in the world but became the first San Diego State University student to win since Breitbard Hall of Famer Gene Littler accomplished the task in 1953.
Joining Yang off the SDSU campus are Aztec football standout D.J. Pumphrey (school record 1,867 yards rushing), basketball star Xavier Thames (MWC Player of the Year) and two-time NCAA triple jump champion Shanieka Thomas (school record 45-feet, 11 ½-inches).
University of San Diego basketball standout Johnny Dee (who set the school career scoring record in January) and golfer Grant Forrest (WCC Player of the Year and St. Andrews Links Trophy winner) were chosen as were University of California San Diego swimmer Anji Shakya (NCAA Division II champion in the 500-yard freestyle) and baseball star Troy Cruz (.326 at the plate and 8-3 on the mound).