Colorado University Athletics
Swanson has taken the team leadership role as the only senior.
Photo by: Ka'anapali Golf Course
Heading Down The Home Stretch
March 25, 2026 | Men's Golf
Hunter Swanson, CU’s Lone Senior, Looking to End Career on a High Note
In 2022, ahead of his final year at Denver's Northfield High School, the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame bestowed Hunter Swanson with the honor of its Male "Future Famer" Award.
Initiated in 2018, the award was created to recognize and honor the achievements of juniors who have significant contributions to the game of golf.
Swanson hasn't disappointed, as four years later he is completing a stellar career at the University of Colorado under head coach Roy Edwards and associate head coach Derek Tolan.
He has played in 46 major tournaments, tied for the 16th-most in school history at present, and his 140 rounds played are tied for 17th (ninth- and eighth-most, respectively by a Colorado high school graduate). With at least four more events and 13 rounds at minimum remaining over the next eight weeks, he can become the fifth Buff to play in at least 50 tournaments and finish second in rounds played behind Rick Cramer's 159 from 1978 through 1982.
Swanson is on target to finish in the top five in as many as 16 career statistical categories, as he is presently in the top 10 of almost all. He owned or shared three records and was runner-up in six others heading into his final spring season.
Had he ever felt any pressure or regrets that he was selected as a Future Famer?
"Selected as a Future Famer was an honor," Swanson said. "Being a Colorado boy my whole life and representing the state in various golf tournaments, is about as motivating and honorable as it gets. That being said, to be named a Future Famer was more motivating to me, it made me want to work hard to show that everyone made the right decision and continue to represent my state at CU to the best of my ability.
"I would be lying if I said there was no pressure at all – there's pressure in wanting to live up the name of the award, and always the question in the back of your mind such as, 'Did I earn this? Am I truly worthy of this award?' At the end of the day I tried to turn the pressure into motivation."
(Swanson was CU's second Future Famer; the first was Hailey Schalk as the female choice in 2018. Current freshman Tyler Long was the third, one of the Hall of Fame's 2025 choices.)
Swanson credits his CU coaches for the role they have played in his development and maturation as a golfer and a person.
"Roy and Derek mean a whole lot to me," he said. "They gave me an opportunity that kids dream of – an opportunity that does not come true for most – and I will cherish that for the rest of my life. Not only do they love and specialize in helping people enhance their golf games, but more importantly, they love to help people become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. That is what stands out the most to me about them.
"I have learned a heck of a lot from both, on and off the golf course, and I truly don't see how college golf coaches can get any better than Roy and Derek. Like I have said before, CU was the perfect spot for me, and that is mainly because of my coaches Roy and Derek. I really cannot thank them enough."
"We don't really place 'expectations' on results," Edwards said, "but we did have high expectations of him as a person, his work ethic, and his competitiveness and he has met or exceeded all of those expectations. Hunter is a really nice blend of a guy who listens, is coachable, but also isn't afraid to communicate what he is confused about or if he feels strongly about something that the coaches may disagree with. That to me is a sign of constructive and effective learning."
Colorado graduated five seniors from its '24-25 team that finished 23rd in the nation, with its members practically rewriting the record book. Swanson was one of five returning lettermen, but the only senior. That alone can thrust someone into an unfamiliar, if not uncomfortable, role of leadership.
"Hunter really stepped immediately into a more prominent leadership role this year, even though he has always been a leader, most noted by him being the Dave Plati/Mr. Buffalo Award winner last season," Edwards noted. "Hunter is the best 'Hunter' he can be which is a vital requirement of being a leader – you have to be your authentic self – good and bad. We had an immense amount of change from the team the last few years to this year's team and Hunter sensed he needed to step up in a different way. He has gone out of his way to help and support all members of the team. He is the ideal teammate in that sense and I am very hopeful our younger players will follow his example."
Swanson reached an impressive milestone during the final round of Arizona's Thunderbird Intercollegiate last week. He became the 17th player to join CU's prestigious "10,000 Stroke Club" surpassing the plateau in recording 10,041 strokes in his 140 rounds. That figures to an average of 71.72 per, the third-lowest average of the 17 members. He has finished under par in 20 tournaments and even in two others of his 46 career events.
"This accomplishment means a whole lot to me because I've worked so hard from my freshman year on to help out the team as much as possible," Swanson said about joining the exclusive club. "It's been such a privilege having the opportunity to gain as much experience in tournaments as I have, from missing only a couple of lineups (he played individually in two others), playing in two regionals and two national championships. You can't really ask for much more.
"The 10,000 stroke club is an interesting stat," Edwards said. "It shows a lot of consistency over a career. It is especially impressive with Hunter because we have had so many good teams, so it wasn't easy to even play in that many tournaments.
"His consistency really is amazing," Edwards continued. "He can have a bad hole, shoot a bad score, or have a bad tournament and we are not worried about Hunter. He just moves on to the next one and that is absolutely a necessity to be a great golfer. It's how we should all be and it is a great reminder that I need to be that way as a coach if I expect our players to approach the game that way."
A prime example of that was in last September's New Mexico Tucker Invitational, when Swanson carded a first round 78 in the morning – his only score over 74 all year – but came back in the afternoon with a 7-under 65. That 13-stroke improvement tied the 19th-best from one round to the next at CU, but the 65 was the second-lowest score recorded in doing so.
So far, medalist honors have eluded Swanson, though he's been in contention several times and has three top five and 10 top 10 finishes. He has won numerous amateur events outside of college, however, and on the NCAA's biggest stage and in CU's best tournament performances during his career, he has led the Buffaloes to a pair of third place finishes in 4regional play. He had a 6-under par 210 scorecard in the 2023 Central Regional in Norman, and a 5-under 211 in last year's Northwest Regional outside of Seattle. Both efforts were the best by a Buff in each, as he bested Colorado's record-setting duo of Justin Biwer and Dylan McDernott both times.
Going into this weekend's "The Goodwin," Stanford's annual tournament in which the Buffaloes finished second a year ago, Swanson is the team leader in stroke average with a 70.27 figure. He has 11 rounds in the 60's, and 20 of his 26 rounds have been par or better, second behind Parker Paxton's 21. He has a team-best six top 20 finishes, leading to his 710-151-50 record against Division I competition.
In addition to joining the 10,000 Stroke Club, he's flirting with a unique record (that apparently only CU tracks): par/subpar hole percentage. He's played 26 rounds – 468 holes – this season, with 405 holes of par (304) or better (101, 100 birdies, one eagle). That's 86.5 percent; Biwer set the single-season mark of 85.6 last year (616 of 720). And Swanson has avoided high numbers.
Edwards created a "jumbo" stat: the number of shots worse than a bogey divided by the number of rounds played. Doubles assigned value of 1 point, a triple 2, quadruple 3, etc. Swanson has just two holes worse than bogey all season – two doubles – and his jumbo percentage of 0.077 at present would rank as the best ever since it was first tracked in 2011. Jeremy Paul has the lowest jumbo mark for a full season – 0.211 (7 in 38 in 2015-16), with Daniel O'Loughlin owning a 0.200 (5 in 25 in the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020-21 season).
More conventionally, his career stroke average of 71.27 is at present tied for the fourth-best in CU history, behind Biwer (70.95), McDermott (71.10) and O'Loughlin (71.68) and equaled by Paul. He has 52 career subpar rounds (40 in the 60's) and 22 even-par rounds, with 111 of 134 rounds counting toward CU's team score. He scored his collegiate low round – a 7-under 64 – in Hawai'i's Ka'anapali Classic last October.
Swanson has obviously made his mark in the CU golf history book. But is he satisfied with his accomplishments?
"I believe satisfaction comes from a couple different levels," Swanson said. "Anyone would be lying if they said they were 100 percent satisfied with their college careers. Are there things I wanted to accomplish that I did not in college? Of course. Are there things that I want to still accomplish in my final events here in my senior year? Sure. I have always been a firm believer in what is meant to be, will be, and everything happens for a reason.
"With that being said, I will always be satisfied with my college career, no matter what happens, because it got me to where I am in that present day," he said. "I have been very fortunate in my college career to gain a lot of experience and knowledge from all my teammates – both former and present – my coaches Roy and Derek, and all of the events I have competed in since my freshman year. I truly have been blessed to spend all four of my years at CU. It has been a perfect place for me to attend school and compete on the Division I level in the game I love. CU has prepared me for the next level, which for me will be professional golf, and will forever hold a place in my heart."
After Stanford, the Buffaloes have two regular season events remaining on the schedule, Arizona State's Thunderbird Collegiate in Phoenix on April 10-11, the final tune-up ahead of the Big 12 Conference Championship in Hutchinson, Kan. (April 27-29). CU owns a 116-33-3 record against Division I competition, a cinch to finish above .500 and thus will no doubt qualify for one of six NCAA regionals, set for May 18-20. The NCAA Championship Finals are slated for May 29-June 3 in Carlsbad, Calif., if the Buffaloes can advance with a top five regional finish.
What goals does Swanson have ahead of entering the last two months of his collegiate career?
"The main two that stick out to me are to enjoy the heck out of it, and live in the moment," he pondered. "College is a quick four years, especially competing on a Division I team. The years go by super-fast, and I want to make sure I enjoy my last month or so here with my teammates, playing some awesome golf courses, traveling, and competing against the best in the world.
"We obviously have ambitions as a team," he added. "We all believe and know we are worthy of competing highly in the national championship at La Costa, but with that being said, we need to finish out the year strong. Personally, I obviously want to contribute to my team the best I can in my last run here. But also prove to myself I can continue to finish very highly against the best in the world, and compete against these guys I will be seeing for years to come after college as well.
"Ultimately, it's time for me to enjoy my last moments as a Buff, but also to keep the pedal to the metal and continue to show the world what the Buffaloes are made of."
Set to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in Business (major in Marketing and a minor in Leadership), Swanson has indicated he plans to turn professional after nationals, unless something arises to delay it, such as a chance to play in a professional event while still as an amateur.
"Hunter will have a lasting impact on the team and our program for a long, long time," Edwards concluded. "Coaching is easy with guys like Hunter."
Initiated in 2018, the award was created to recognize and honor the achievements of juniors who have significant contributions to the game of golf.
Swanson hasn't disappointed, as four years later he is completing a stellar career at the University of Colorado under head coach Roy Edwards and associate head coach Derek Tolan.
He has played in 46 major tournaments, tied for the 16th-most in school history at present, and his 140 rounds played are tied for 17th (ninth- and eighth-most, respectively by a Colorado high school graduate). With at least four more events and 13 rounds at minimum remaining over the next eight weeks, he can become the fifth Buff to play in at least 50 tournaments and finish second in rounds played behind Rick Cramer's 159 from 1978 through 1982.
Swanson is on target to finish in the top five in as many as 16 career statistical categories, as he is presently in the top 10 of almost all. He owned or shared three records and was runner-up in six others heading into his final spring season.
Had he ever felt any pressure or regrets that he was selected as a Future Famer?
"Selected as a Future Famer was an honor," Swanson said. "Being a Colorado boy my whole life and representing the state in various golf tournaments, is about as motivating and honorable as it gets. That being said, to be named a Future Famer was more motivating to me, it made me want to work hard to show that everyone made the right decision and continue to represent my state at CU to the best of my ability.
"I would be lying if I said there was no pressure at all – there's pressure in wanting to live up the name of the award, and always the question in the back of your mind such as, 'Did I earn this? Am I truly worthy of this award?' At the end of the day I tried to turn the pressure into motivation."
(Swanson was CU's second Future Famer; the first was Hailey Schalk as the female choice in 2018. Current freshman Tyler Long was the third, one of the Hall of Fame's 2025 choices.)
Swanson credits his CU coaches for the role they have played in his development and maturation as a golfer and a person.
"Roy and Derek mean a whole lot to me," he said. "They gave me an opportunity that kids dream of – an opportunity that does not come true for most – and I will cherish that for the rest of my life. Not only do they love and specialize in helping people enhance their golf games, but more importantly, they love to help people become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. That is what stands out the most to me about them.
"I have learned a heck of a lot from both, on and off the golf course, and I truly don't see how college golf coaches can get any better than Roy and Derek. Like I have said before, CU was the perfect spot for me, and that is mainly because of my coaches Roy and Derek. I really cannot thank them enough."
"We don't really place 'expectations' on results," Edwards said, "but we did have high expectations of him as a person, his work ethic, and his competitiveness and he has met or exceeded all of those expectations. Hunter is a really nice blend of a guy who listens, is coachable, but also isn't afraid to communicate what he is confused about or if he feels strongly about something that the coaches may disagree with. That to me is a sign of constructive and effective learning."
Colorado graduated five seniors from its '24-25 team that finished 23rd in the nation, with its members practically rewriting the record book. Swanson was one of five returning lettermen, but the only senior. That alone can thrust someone into an unfamiliar, if not uncomfortable, role of leadership.
"Hunter really stepped immediately into a more prominent leadership role this year, even though he has always been a leader, most noted by him being the Dave Plati/Mr. Buffalo Award winner last season," Edwards noted. "Hunter is the best 'Hunter' he can be which is a vital requirement of being a leader – you have to be your authentic self – good and bad. We had an immense amount of change from the team the last few years to this year's team and Hunter sensed he needed to step up in a different way. He has gone out of his way to help and support all members of the team. He is the ideal teammate in that sense and I am very hopeful our younger players will follow his example."
Swanson reached an impressive milestone during the final round of Arizona's Thunderbird Intercollegiate last week. He became the 17th player to join CU's prestigious "10,000 Stroke Club" surpassing the plateau in recording 10,041 strokes in his 140 rounds. That figures to an average of 71.72 per, the third-lowest average of the 17 members. He has finished under par in 20 tournaments and even in two others of his 46 career events.
"This accomplishment means a whole lot to me because I've worked so hard from my freshman year on to help out the team as much as possible," Swanson said about joining the exclusive club. "It's been such a privilege having the opportunity to gain as much experience in tournaments as I have, from missing only a couple of lineups (he played individually in two others), playing in two regionals and two national championships. You can't really ask for much more.
"The 10,000 stroke club is an interesting stat," Edwards said. "It shows a lot of consistency over a career. It is especially impressive with Hunter because we have had so many good teams, so it wasn't easy to even play in that many tournaments.
"His consistency really is amazing," Edwards continued. "He can have a bad hole, shoot a bad score, or have a bad tournament and we are not worried about Hunter. He just moves on to the next one and that is absolutely a necessity to be a great golfer. It's how we should all be and it is a great reminder that I need to be that way as a coach if I expect our players to approach the game that way."
A prime example of that was in last September's New Mexico Tucker Invitational, when Swanson carded a first round 78 in the morning – his only score over 74 all year – but came back in the afternoon with a 7-under 65. That 13-stroke improvement tied the 19th-best from one round to the next at CU, but the 65 was the second-lowest score recorded in doing so.
So far, medalist honors have eluded Swanson, though he's been in contention several times and has three top five and 10 top 10 finishes. He has won numerous amateur events outside of college, however, and on the NCAA's biggest stage and in CU's best tournament performances during his career, he has led the Buffaloes to a pair of third place finishes in 4regional play. He had a 6-under par 210 scorecard in the 2023 Central Regional in Norman, and a 5-under 211 in last year's Northwest Regional outside of Seattle. Both efforts were the best by a Buff in each, as he bested Colorado's record-setting duo of Justin Biwer and Dylan McDernott both times.
Going into this weekend's "The Goodwin," Stanford's annual tournament in which the Buffaloes finished second a year ago, Swanson is the team leader in stroke average with a 70.27 figure. He has 11 rounds in the 60's, and 20 of his 26 rounds have been par or better, second behind Parker Paxton's 21. He has a team-best six top 20 finishes, leading to his 710-151-50 record against Division I competition.
In addition to joining the 10,000 Stroke Club, he's flirting with a unique record (that apparently only CU tracks): par/subpar hole percentage. He's played 26 rounds – 468 holes – this season, with 405 holes of par (304) or better (101, 100 birdies, one eagle). That's 86.5 percent; Biwer set the single-season mark of 85.6 last year (616 of 720). And Swanson has avoided high numbers.
Edwards created a "jumbo" stat: the number of shots worse than a bogey divided by the number of rounds played. Doubles assigned value of 1 point, a triple 2, quadruple 3, etc. Swanson has just two holes worse than bogey all season – two doubles – and his jumbo percentage of 0.077 at present would rank as the best ever since it was first tracked in 2011. Jeremy Paul has the lowest jumbo mark for a full season – 0.211 (7 in 38 in 2015-16), with Daniel O'Loughlin owning a 0.200 (5 in 25 in the COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020-21 season).
More conventionally, his career stroke average of 71.27 is at present tied for the fourth-best in CU history, behind Biwer (70.95), McDermott (71.10) and O'Loughlin (71.68) and equaled by Paul. He has 52 career subpar rounds (40 in the 60's) and 22 even-par rounds, with 111 of 134 rounds counting toward CU's team score. He scored his collegiate low round – a 7-under 64 – in Hawai'i's Ka'anapali Classic last October.
Swanson has obviously made his mark in the CU golf history book. But is he satisfied with his accomplishments?
"I believe satisfaction comes from a couple different levels," Swanson said. "Anyone would be lying if they said they were 100 percent satisfied with their college careers. Are there things I wanted to accomplish that I did not in college? Of course. Are there things that I want to still accomplish in my final events here in my senior year? Sure. I have always been a firm believer in what is meant to be, will be, and everything happens for a reason.
"With that being said, I will always be satisfied with my college career, no matter what happens, because it got me to where I am in that present day," he said. "I have been very fortunate in my college career to gain a lot of experience and knowledge from all my teammates – both former and present – my coaches Roy and Derek, and all of the events I have competed in since my freshman year. I truly have been blessed to spend all four of my years at CU. It has been a perfect place for me to attend school and compete on the Division I level in the game I love. CU has prepared me for the next level, which for me will be professional golf, and will forever hold a place in my heart."
After Stanford, the Buffaloes have two regular season events remaining on the schedule, Arizona State's Thunderbird Collegiate in Phoenix on April 10-11, the final tune-up ahead of the Big 12 Conference Championship in Hutchinson, Kan. (April 27-29). CU owns a 116-33-3 record against Division I competition, a cinch to finish above .500 and thus will no doubt qualify for one of six NCAA regionals, set for May 18-20. The NCAA Championship Finals are slated for May 29-June 3 in Carlsbad, Calif., if the Buffaloes can advance with a top five regional finish.
What goals does Swanson have ahead of entering the last two months of his collegiate career?
"The main two that stick out to me are to enjoy the heck out of it, and live in the moment," he pondered. "College is a quick four years, especially competing on a Division I team. The years go by super-fast, and I want to make sure I enjoy my last month or so here with my teammates, playing some awesome golf courses, traveling, and competing against the best in the world.
"We obviously have ambitions as a team," he added. "We all believe and know we are worthy of competing highly in the national championship at La Costa, but with that being said, we need to finish out the year strong. Personally, I obviously want to contribute to my team the best I can in my last run here. But also prove to myself I can continue to finish very highly against the best in the world, and compete against these guys I will be seeing for years to come after college as well.
"Ultimately, it's time for me to enjoy my last moments as a Buff, but also to keep the pedal to the metal and continue to show the world what the Buffaloes are made of."
Set to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in Business (major in Marketing and a minor in Leadership), Swanson has indicated he plans to turn professional after nationals, unless something arises to delay it, such as a chance to play in a professional event while still as an amateur.
"Hunter will have a lasting impact on the team and our program for a long, long time," Edwards concluded. "Coaching is easy with guys like Hunter."
BUFFALOES READY FOR STANFORD'S "THE GOODWIN"
PALO ALTO, Calif. – The Buffaloes arrived here Monday evening in preparation for Stanford's "The Goodwin," the penultimate tournament prior to next month's Big 12 Championship.
The Buffaloes fared well here a year ago, finishing second in the 30-team field. Colorado currently has the most wins in the nation with a 116-33-3 record against Division I competition, assuring itself of meeting the first criteria to qualify for May's NCAA regionals (a .500 or better record).
The five Buffaloes to compete –in order – are Swanson, Paxton, Brandon Knight, Ty Holbrook and Jackson Rivera. All have stroke averages between 70.3 and 71.4.
Colorado, ranked No. 47 by Scoreboard, will tee off in the last groups beginning at 2:05 p.m. MDT on the 10th holes. CU will be paired with No. 36 TCU, No. 39 Washington and No. 41 Northwestern.
The event will have single rounds of competition Thursday through Saturday on Stanford's Golf Course, a 6,742-yard, par-70 layout.
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