Alabama Men’s Golf Inks One of Nation’s Top Recruiting Classes in 2017

Alabama men’s golf coach Jay Seawell announced that Ben Fuller, Wilson Furr and Davis Shore have all signed their National Letter of Intent to continue their playing career with the Crimson Tide.

Golfweek.com ranks Shore as the No. 3 prospect in the nation, while Furr is rated No. 6 nationally. The duo, who also rank among the top-10 junior golfers in the world, joins Fuller, who is considered another prized recruit in the 2017 class. Combined, the trio makes up one of the top signing classes in the nation.

“The first step of the process of being a championship program is recruiting the right young men,” head coach Jay Seawell said. “It takes special talent and character to become a champion. We took that step today with the signing of Ben, Wilson and Davis. These three, along with our current players, give us the opportunity to be a championship team. I have enjoyed watching these three young men grow and mature in golf and life. They are talented young guys that also are great students. Not only will they be a great addition to our golf program, they will be a great addition to our university. I am thankful for their trust in me and our university with their college years. I look forward to being their coach and helping them chase and achieve their dreams.”

Shore and Furr were two of six players named to the boys United States Junior Ryder Cup team this past summer. The duo was paired together during play at the Junior Ryder Cup where they won their foursome match against the Europeans.

This past summer, Shore, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., was named the American Family Insurance All-USA Boys Golf Team National Player of the Year. Shore is a two-time state champion and was one of four winners of the Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Award. A senior who attends the Christian Academy of Knoxville, Shore earned back-to-back first team Rolex Junior All-America honors in 2015 and 2016.

Shore, who is ranked No. 2 according to the Polo AJGA boys rankings and No. 3 in the class of 2017 by junior golf scoreboard, was one of 40 players selected to the American Junior Golf Association’s Wyndham Cup rosters, playing for the East Team. He also claimed the 2016 Rolex Tournament of Champions title after shooting 10-under par and finishing five shots ahead of the field. He collected six top-10 finishes in national junior golf events in 2016. As a junior, Shore had five top-five finishes in the 2014-15 season including tournament victories at the 2015 Bobby Chapman Junior Invitational and the 2015 AJGA Music City Junior Invitational.

“Davis is one the top players in all of junior golf,” Seawell said. “He has accomplished so much in golf. He has winning experience and also has experienced the highest honor in playing for his country.  Davis is a driven and intelligent player that should step right in and be a great help for us in our pursuit of championships.”

Furr, who currently attends Jackson Academy in Jackson, Miss., is ranked as the number eight recruit in the 2017 class by Junior Golf Scoreboard and No. 15 by the Polo AJGA rankings. In 2015, Furr became the youngest winner in the 100-year history of the Mississippi State Amateur, doing so at the age of 16. He captured the crown by eight strokes with a 72-hole total of 14-under par 274, just two strokes off the tournament record.

Furr was named second-team Rolex Junior All-American in 2015 after being named honorable mention Rolex Junior All-American in 2014. This past season, Furr finished in the top-10 six times including a second place finish at the 2015 Junior PGA Championship. He too was named to the East Team for the Wyndham Cup.

“Wilson is a great athlete and competitor,” Seawell said. “Wilson has accomplished so much in his junior career. He played with Davis on the Junior Ryder Cup team. His experiences and desire to be the best will be a great help to us and our program.”

Fuller, who attends Mountain Brook High School, has played in two U.S. Junior Amateurs in his career. The Birmingham, Ala., native is the son of Allen Fuller who played at Georgia Tech.

Fuller won a pair of tournaments last season, capturing the 2015 AJGA City of London Junior Championship and the 2016 Bradley Johnson Memorial Championship. He also claimed a second place finish at the 2016 Tom Bell Memorial High School Golf Tournament and finished fifth at the Vestavia Junior Classic in the same year.

“I have watched Ben play since he was 10 years old,” Seawell said. “He comes from a golf family with his Dad playing college golf. I love that Ben played multiple sports in high school. I believe that will help him be a great leader for us because he such a great teammate. His game has continued to improve in the short time he has focused solely on golf.  I believe Ben’s best golf is still to come and with that and his leadership skills will be a great asset to our program.”