Colorado University Athletics
Parker Paxton finished in the top 20 in all five fall tournaments.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Golfers Open Spring Season Monday In California
February 14, 2026 | Men's Golf
Buffaloes Currently Ranked No. 42 In Nation
LA QUINTA, Calif. — The University of Colorado men's golf team arrived here late Tuesday as the Buffaloes will open the spring portion of its schedule this coming Monday in 26th annual "The Prestige" at PGA West.
The late Mark Simpson, former CU head coach, helped create the tournament back in 2000, specifically for the top academic schools in college golf; this will be the 13th time the Buffaloes will play in it.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament featuring 19 of the nation's top 102 teams (nine top 50) will be staged on the PGA West Greg Norman Course, which boasts a 7,185-yard, par-71 configuration. It's the "lowest" course CU will play on this year, as the high-altitude Buffs will try their wares on the 18-hole layout at the bottom of a prehistoric ocean bed, some 40 feet below sea level. The official practice round is Sunday, but the Buffaloes as usual arrived a earlier in the week ahead of its first spring competition to get a few extra rounds of practice; CU wrapped the fall season the last week of October.
The initial line-up for the Buffaloes, ranked 42nd in the nation at present, to open the spring will be sophomore Parker Paxton in the No. 1 position, followed senior Hunter Swanson and juniors Brandon Knight and Ty Holbrook and the fifth spot graduate transfer Jackson Rivera. Sophomore Michael Fang is also making the trip to participate in a separate event, the Prestige Individual, which will take place at The Golf Club at Terra Lago (North Course). For the second straight year, the Buffs set a team record for the lowest stroke average in the fall with a 70.39 mark (besting the 70.53 in 2024), topped by Paxton (68.80), Swanson (69.73), Knight (69.93) and Holbrook (70.07). Those are four of the top eight fall averages in program history (all played 15 rounds). The eight players on the roster combined to record 64 subpar rounds out of 108 overall, with 44 scores in the 60's, already the fourth-most ever at CU.
"Everyone is ready to go for the spring," Colorado head coach Roy Edwards said. "We have a motivated, competitive, and hard-working group that put in a great deal of effort during the offseason. This is an exceptional group of young men, and we're very proud of how they represent the University of Colorado. When we combine smart decision-making with a free, confident mindset, we play our best golf. We have a highly competitive schedule this spring and expect to face many of the top teams in the country on some outstanding courses. Coach (Derek) Tolan and I can't wait to get going."
CU finished fifth here a year ago with a 7-under par 845 team score, opening with two even-par rounds and finishing with a 7-under effort (277), the sixth-best single round score (out of 72) in the event. It matched CU's second-best previous finish in 12 tries in the tournament (the Buffs were second in the second annual tourney).
"The PGA West Norman Course puts a premium on ball-striking and iron play so that also has been a big area of focus for the team in our preparations," Edwards said."
The 24-team field includes co-hosts No. 179 UC Davis and No. 26 Stanford, along with five from the Big 12: No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 42 CU, No. 47 Kansas, No. 68 Kansas State and No. 86 Iowa State. The remainder of the field includes No. 27 Wake Forest, No. 32 Clemson, No. 41 Arkansas-Little Rock, No. 44 Northwestern, No. 52 San Diego, No. 53 UNC-Wilmington, No. 55 SMU, No. 77 Oregon, No. 83 Washington State, No. 85 Princeton, No. 91 Oregon State, No. 104 North Alabama, No. 108 Colorado State, No. 117 Lipscomb, No. 137 Nevada, No. 146 Gonzaga and No. 176 Yale. There are 14 of the nation's top 100 golfers in the field; Paxton is the highest-rated Buffalo at 151st, despite finishing in the top 20 in all five fall events.
There are 22 schools who have individuals entered in the Prestige Individual – 52 players among them.
NOTES: Rankings by Clippd/Scoreboard were as of Wednesday, Feb. 11 (311 teams ranked in all) … Other Buffs ranked in the top 500 collegiately include Swanson (No. 309), Holbrook (No. 341), Knight (No. 355) and freshman Tyler Long (No. 483); there are 2,594 players ranked in all (Rivera No. 640, Fang is No. 738 and the other Buff on the roster – and the other freshman – Casey Kosney, is No. 936 but he's seen limited action) … The Buffaloes will tee off No. 1 on Monday in the afternoon session to start the tourney and will be paired with UC Davis and Northwestern (as was the case in the first round last year); Fang will begin at 9:20 a.m. with players from Northwestern and Stanford on No. 1 in the indy event … Colorado has four top five finishes in The Prestige, its best a second place effort in 2001 when it was held in the fall (281-288-280—849, -15); Washington won that year with an 844 total … Joe Liley finished third that year (69-70-68—207, -9), CU's best individual finish among nine top 12 finishes here over the years (Dylan McDermott tied for seventh last year (72-69-66—207, -6) … The Buffs will remain in southern California for Wyoming's Desert Intercollegiate, set for February 23-25 at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, instead of returning to Boulder for at most would be two days before turning right around to travel back.
BUFFS ON THE PRO CIRCUITS: Three CU graduates from last May are currently competing on the Asher Tour (most events in Arizona and California). Justin Biwer has three top 10 finishes in the last month, topped by a runner-up effort in the Central Coast Championship last weekend in Nipomo, Calif. (64-67-67—198, -15); he was two off the lead. He tied for eighth in the Wigwam Red Championship (67-65-66—198, -15) and tied for ninth in the Wigwam Gold Championship (68-71-69—208, -8) last month in Litchfield Park, Ariz. Dylan McDermott competed for the first time this year, finishing ninth Friday in the Bakersfield Open (69-69-66—204, -9); he shot the second-lowest score in the final round. He did play in his first Asher event in early December, where he finished second in the NAPA Open (71-70-65--206, -10), two off the lead. Tucker Clark also competed in Bakersfield but missed the cut after recording a 71-73—144 (+2) effort.
Jeremy Paul ('17) is on the Korn Ferry Tour but can also play select PGA Tour events; he tied for 25th last weekend in the Astara Golf Championship (74-62-70-70—276, -8); his 9-under 62 in the second round was the low round in the tournament overall. He opened with a 64 in the Bahamas Golf Classic in January, eventually tying for 44th with a 14-under 274 scorecard.
Yannik Paul ('18) is on the DP and Hotel Planner tours; he is in NTT DATA Pro-Am this weekend in George, South Africa, and is tied for 32nd through two rounds (68-71—139, -5), eight off the lead.
The late Mark Simpson, former CU head coach, helped create the tournament back in 2000, specifically for the top academic schools in college golf; this will be the 13th time the Buffaloes will play in it.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament featuring 19 of the nation's top 102 teams (nine top 50) will be staged on the PGA West Greg Norman Course, which boasts a 7,185-yard, par-71 configuration. It's the "lowest" course CU will play on this year, as the high-altitude Buffs will try their wares on the 18-hole layout at the bottom of a prehistoric ocean bed, some 40 feet below sea level. The official practice round is Sunday, but the Buffaloes as usual arrived a earlier in the week ahead of its first spring competition to get a few extra rounds of practice; CU wrapped the fall season the last week of October.
The initial line-up for the Buffaloes, ranked 42nd in the nation at present, to open the spring will be sophomore Parker Paxton in the No. 1 position, followed senior Hunter Swanson and juniors Brandon Knight and Ty Holbrook and the fifth spot graduate transfer Jackson Rivera. Sophomore Michael Fang is also making the trip to participate in a separate event, the Prestige Individual, which will take place at The Golf Club at Terra Lago (North Course). For the second straight year, the Buffs set a team record for the lowest stroke average in the fall with a 70.39 mark (besting the 70.53 in 2024), topped by Paxton (68.80), Swanson (69.73), Knight (69.93) and Holbrook (70.07). Those are four of the top eight fall averages in program history (all played 15 rounds). The eight players on the roster combined to record 64 subpar rounds out of 108 overall, with 44 scores in the 60's, already the fourth-most ever at CU.
"Everyone is ready to go for the spring," Colorado head coach Roy Edwards said. "We have a motivated, competitive, and hard-working group that put in a great deal of effort during the offseason. This is an exceptional group of young men, and we're very proud of how they represent the University of Colorado. When we combine smart decision-making with a free, confident mindset, we play our best golf. We have a highly competitive schedule this spring and expect to face many of the top teams in the country on some outstanding courses. Coach (Derek) Tolan and I can't wait to get going."
CU finished fifth here a year ago with a 7-under par 845 team score, opening with two even-par rounds and finishing with a 7-under effort (277), the sixth-best single round score (out of 72) in the event. It matched CU's second-best previous finish in 12 tries in the tournament (the Buffs were second in the second annual tourney).
"The PGA West Norman Course puts a premium on ball-striking and iron play so that also has been a big area of focus for the team in our preparations," Edwards said."
The 24-team field includes co-hosts No. 179 UC Davis and No. 26 Stanford, along with five from the Big 12: No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 42 CU, No. 47 Kansas, No. 68 Kansas State and No. 86 Iowa State. The remainder of the field includes No. 27 Wake Forest, No. 32 Clemson, No. 41 Arkansas-Little Rock, No. 44 Northwestern, No. 52 San Diego, No. 53 UNC-Wilmington, No. 55 SMU, No. 77 Oregon, No. 83 Washington State, No. 85 Princeton, No. 91 Oregon State, No. 104 North Alabama, No. 108 Colorado State, No. 117 Lipscomb, No. 137 Nevada, No. 146 Gonzaga and No. 176 Yale. There are 14 of the nation's top 100 golfers in the field; Paxton is the highest-rated Buffalo at 151st, despite finishing in the top 20 in all five fall events.
There are 22 schools who have individuals entered in the Prestige Individual – 52 players among them.
NOTES: Rankings by Clippd/Scoreboard were as of Wednesday, Feb. 11 (311 teams ranked in all) … Other Buffs ranked in the top 500 collegiately include Swanson (No. 309), Holbrook (No. 341), Knight (No. 355) and freshman Tyler Long (No. 483); there are 2,594 players ranked in all (Rivera No. 640, Fang is No. 738 and the other Buff on the roster – and the other freshman – Casey Kosney, is No. 936 but he's seen limited action) … The Buffaloes will tee off No. 1 on Monday in the afternoon session to start the tourney and will be paired with UC Davis and Northwestern (as was the case in the first round last year); Fang will begin at 9:20 a.m. with players from Northwestern and Stanford on No. 1 in the indy event … Colorado has four top five finishes in The Prestige, its best a second place effort in 2001 when it was held in the fall (281-288-280—849, -15); Washington won that year with an 844 total … Joe Liley finished third that year (69-70-68—207, -9), CU's best individual finish among nine top 12 finishes here over the years (Dylan McDermott tied for seventh last year (72-69-66—207, -6) … The Buffs will remain in southern California for Wyoming's Desert Intercollegiate, set for February 23-25 at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, instead of returning to Boulder for at most would be two days before turning right around to travel back.
BUFFS ON THE PRO CIRCUITS: Three CU graduates from last May are currently competing on the Asher Tour (most events in Arizona and California). Justin Biwer has three top 10 finishes in the last month, topped by a runner-up effort in the Central Coast Championship last weekend in Nipomo, Calif. (64-67-67—198, -15); he was two off the lead. He tied for eighth in the Wigwam Red Championship (67-65-66—198, -15) and tied for ninth in the Wigwam Gold Championship (68-71-69—208, -8) last month in Litchfield Park, Ariz. Dylan McDermott competed for the first time this year, finishing ninth Friday in the Bakersfield Open (69-69-66—204, -9); he shot the second-lowest score in the final round. He did play in his first Asher event in early December, where he finished second in the NAPA Open (71-70-65--206, -10), two off the lead. Tucker Clark also competed in Bakersfield but missed the cut after recording a 71-73—144 (+2) effort.
Jeremy Paul ('17) is on the Korn Ferry Tour but can also play select PGA Tour events; he tied for 25th last weekend in the Astara Golf Championship (74-62-70-70—276, -8); his 9-under 62 in the second round was the low round in the tournament overall. He opened with a 64 in the Bahamas Golf Classic in January, eventually tying for 44th with a 14-under 274 scorecard.
Yannik Paul ('18) is on the DP and Hotel Planner tours; he is in NTT DATA Pro-Am this weekend in George, South Africa, and is tied for 32nd through two rounds (68-71—139, -5), eight off the lead.
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