Norco, Calif. - The La Sierra University Men's Golf team made history this week, capturing its first team and individual titles since the program's return to competition. The Golden Eagles posted a team score of 323, defeating the Soka University Lions, who finished with 368.
Leading the charge for La Sierra was junior Ky Stopp, who earned medalist honors with an impressive 2-over-par 74, edging his nearest competitor by two strokes.
Stopp came out firing, birdieing three of his first four holes to take an early lead. He continued his strong play through the front nine, carding a 2-under 34, highlighted by a spectacular chip-in on the challenging par-4 ninth hole.
The back nine brought tougher conditions as the Santa Ana winds picked up, and Stopp faced adversity with a stretch of bogeys on holes 10 through 13. Showing poise and composure, he rebounded with a birdie on the 14th and closed with four steady pars to secure the individual title — and the team's first win of the season.
This victory marks an exciting milestone for La Sierra Golf as the program continues to build momentum in its return to collegiate competition.
The freshman duo of Tyler Cole and Austin Covert also delivered strong performances, both finishing inside the top four to help seal the team victory.
Cole turned in a steady round of 80, getting off to a blazing start with birdies on his first two holes. His consistent play throughout the round proved crucial in securing the Golden Eagles' win. Covert battled back impressively after three early bogeys, finding his rhythm with four straight pars. Despite a challenging start to the back nine, he showed resilience by carding a clutch birdie on the par-4 14th — a key moment in the team's triumph.
Rounding out the count-four, play-five scoring lineup were juniors Tomas Godoy and Ryker Lazo, who both posted rounds of 85. Each showed grit after opening with a double bogey, regrouping to make valuable contributions for the team. Godoy delivered one of the day's highlights with a spectacular birdie on the demanding 217-yard par-3 fifth hole, while Lazo played steady golf throughout, recording nine pars on the day.
Competing as an individual, sophomore Riley Payne finished in ninth place with a score of 110, continuing to gain valuable experience for the program.
The Golden Eagles' victory marks a milestone moment for La Sierra Men's Golf as the program continues its resurgence. The team will look to build on this success when they return to action on February 9th at the West Coast Invite, hosted by Lewis & Clark at The Victoria Club in Riverside.
Congratulations to the Golden Eagles on their hard-earned win!
