ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — The La Sierra University men's golf team continued to make strides in its second-ever NAIA competition, claiming an impressive second-place finish at the Aliso Viejo Shootout on Monday at Aliso Viejo Country Club.

The Golden Eagles posted a team score of 305, finishing just nine shots behind tournament champions Hope International University (296), while comfortably outpacing Soka University (357) to secure the runner-up spot.
Leading the charge for La Sierra were freshman Tyler Cole and junior Ky Stopp, who both turned in strong performances to tie for fourth overall with matching rounds of 2-over 74. Cole displayed remarkable consistency, carding 1-over on both the front and back nine, and capped off his round in style with a clutch up-and-down birdie on the par-5 18th.

Stopp showed resilience after a tough break on the ninth hole, where a lost ball led to a double bogey. He bounced back in impressive fashion, playing the back nine at even par to keep the Golden Eagles in contention.
Freshman Ryker Lazo made a memorable debut, firing a 5-over 77 in his first collegiate event. Despite struggles on the par-5 14th and 15th, Lazo rallied with birdies on two of his final three holes—including a laser-like hybrid to 10 feet on the challenging par-3 16th, followed by a confident putt.

Austin Covert also made an early impact, coming out hot with three straight birdies from holes 2 to 4, helping La Sierra build a 3-shot team lead through the first six holes. Although his putter cooled off on the back nine, Covert still managed to post his best round of the fall and contributed to the team's podium finish.

The Golden Eagles will look to build on their momentum when they return to action on October 29th, hosting Soka University at Hidden Valley Golf Club.