Dec. 16, 2008

Story courtesy of Oklahoma Christian Sports Information Office

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.  – Rhein Gibson of Oklahoma Christian University is the 2008 Oklahoma Amateur Player of the Year. The four-time first-team NAIA All-American – who will receive a degree in marketing on Friday – says this award ranks near the top of his long list of accomplishments on the golf course.

“It ranks highly, even though it is not a victory in terms of a tournament, it still means a lot,” Gibson said.

Gibson earned the trophy by winning the Oklahoma State Amateur Tournament, finishing in the top 10 of the Oklahoma Open and participating in a PGA Nationwide Tour Event in Wichita, Kan. Through a point system, the Lismore, Australia, native was the highest-scoring amateur in the state.

“It gives me a lot of confidence in terms of my ability. There are some great names on the trophy and to be able to see the names and the careers some of these players have had means that I can do the same,” Gibson said.

After picking up his diploma on Friday, Gibson will head back to Australia to play numerous events in his native country. He plans to return to Oklahoma in February to play full time on the Hooters Tour while participating in Monday qualifiers for Nationwide and PGA Tour events.

Gibson helped the Eagles to four-straight top-four finishes at the NAIA National Tournament. He also earned NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors three times for holding at minimum 3.5 GPA.