The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women’s Golf’s O’Keefe named Honda Sport Award winner
06.15.2026 | Women's Golf
Farah O’Keefe won the 2026 NCAA individual championship and is the No. 1 ranked women’s collegiate golfer.
NEW YORK — Texas women's golf's Farah O'Keefe has been named the winner of the Honda Sport Award for golf, as announced today by Chris Voelz, Executive Director of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda.
O'Keefe, a junior from Austin, Texas, emerged as the nation's top collegiate golfer in 2025-26, earning the ANNIKA Award and PING WGCA Division I Player of the Year honors while capturing the NCAA individual championship. Ranked No. 1 in the collegiate rankings entering the NCAA Championships, O'Keefe delivered a consistent season, winning four tournaments and recording a top-10 finish in all 12 of her collegiate events.
"We are thrilled for Farah and incredibly proud of this well-deserved honor," Texas head coach Laura Ianello said. "To be honest, we're not surprised. She has consistently set the standard for excellence through her performance, preparation, and leadership."
"Farah's accomplishments on the golf course speak for themselves, but what makes this award so meaningful is that it also recognizes the type of person she is," Ianello added. "She is a tremendous ambassador for Texas, her teammates, and the game of golf. The Honda Award is a reflection of the hard work and character she displays every single day."
O'Keefe also earned WGCA First Team All-America recognition and was named SEC Player of the Year. She finished as the individual runner-up at the SEC Championship and posted a career-best 69.94 scoring average during the season, which set a new Texas women's golf program record.
Beyond collegiate competition, O'Keefe continued to excel on the international stage. She helped Team USA capture the 2025 World Amateur Team Championship, earned low amateur honors at the Chevron Championship, and secured exemptions into both the 2026 U.S. Women's Open and The Amundi Evian Championship. A three-time participant in the Augusta National Women's Amateur, O'Keefe helped Team USA win the Curtis Cup and is set to compete in the Palmer Cup for Team USA later this summer. O'Keefe became only the fourth player in Curtis Cup history to record a perfect 5-0 record.
The Honda Award announcement comes during a landmark moment for the organization, as the CWSA celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2025-26 collegiate athletics season. For five decades, the Honda Sport Award has honored the nation's top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, symbolizing "the best of the best in collegiate athletics." O'Keefe is now a finalist for the prestigious Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and Class of 2026 Honda Cup, to be presented live on Monday, July 27, at 7 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
O'Keefe was selected via a nationwide vote of administrators from over 1,000 NCAA member schools. The other finalists for this year's award were Megha Ganne (Stanford), Maria José Marin (Arkansas) and Paula Martin Sampedro.
Texas Honda/Broderick Collegiate Women's Sports Award Winners in Women's Golf
1977-78 Debbie Petrizzi
1989-90 Michiko Hattori
1992-93 Charlotta Sorenstam
1996-97 Heather Bowie
2025-26 Farah O'Keefe
"This recognition is even more special because it places Farah among a distinguished group of Longhorn golfers who have earned this prestigious honor before her," Ianello said. "She has worked tirelessly to leave her mark on our program, and we're proud to see her name added to that remarkable legacy."
"It's special to earn this honor and be recognized along with so many great athletes," O'Keefe said. "I'm proud to represent my school and everyone that has supported me along my journey. I'm also proud to join previous Texas student-athletes, especially those in women's golf with this honor."
