By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks, TopSports.news will recognize hundreds of Shawnee County's all-time greats in 25 sports/categories as part of our Best of the Best project. Readers will have the opportunity to vote through July, with the Top 25 in all categories announced in August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on: https://linkto.run/p/YHDFNK4M. Email votes/nominations will also be accepted at
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It probably comes as no surprise that the list of candidates to be named Shawnee County's all-time greatest men's golfer as part of TSN's Best of the Best project is headlined by Gary Woodland, a multi-time winner on the PGA Tour, including the 2019 U.S. Open championship.
But the Shawnee Heights product certainly isn't alone when it comes to the outstanding talent the county has produced in the sport over the years.
Gary Woodland [PGA Tour]
Andrew Beckler [Washburn Athletics]
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University star Andrew Beckler was recenly named the NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year after winning Class 6A individual and team titles for the Junior Blues while Frank Rose and Bill McDonald carved out legendary amateur careers at the state and national level and Rural alum Parker Beal was a two-time 6A state champ.
Golfers like Mark Elliott, Dave Carson, Bill Mosimann, C.C. Metzler, Gary Lucas, Chris McGown, Chuck Norris, Steve Gomez, Matt Ewald, Doug Hamilton, Mac McFarland and Garth and Thad Wellshear are also part of the long list of locals who have been longtime amateur stalwarts while former Washburn Rural and Washburn University standout Ben Moser has dominated the city scene of late, including a sweep of the Topeka Golf Association City Match Play and Stroke Play championships this summer.
There are 25 candidates in all listed to pick from at https://linkto.run/p/YHDFNK4M while readers also have the option of writing in a name.
Vote as many times as you wish, with the only requirement that eligible candidates must have grown up in Shawnee County or attended one of the county's 10 high schools.
Reader vote will be taken in consideration for the Top 25 list as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes will be accepted through July 31 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in August.
NEXT UP: Women's soccer.
