PROVO, Utah – Led by Cole Ponich and Peter Kim, men’s golf secured three victories, one individual win and the best finish at the NCAA Championship in 20 years.
BYU began its fall season at the Bearcat Invitational at Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati, where the Cougars earned a fourth-place finish. Peter Kim led the way with a 2-under 211, tying for sixth individually.
The team then traveled to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the Blessings Collegiate Invitational at Blessings Golf Club. BYU again placed fourth, finishing just two shots out of third. Ponich led the Cougars with a top-10 finish.
The Cougars earned their first Big 12 Match Play title at Houston Oaks Golf Course. BYU opened the tournament with a 3-1-1 win over Houston, highlighted by Tyson Shelley’s 5 and 3 victory. Shelley carried that momentum into the second round with a 7 and 5 win to lead BYU past West Virginia. The Cougars also defeated Utah, Kansas and Baylor to claim the championship with a 4-1 final round win. Shelley went a perfect 5-0 during the event.
At the Leadership and Golf Collegiate in Monterey, California, BYU finished runner-up to Pacific, carding a 4-under 860. Three Cougars placed in the top 15, Kim took third at 4-under, Ponich finished fifth at 3-under and Simon Kwon placed 12th at 1-under.
Following a three-month winter break, BYU opened its spring season at the Arizona NIT in Tucson, where the Cougars posted a historic 50-under 814, which was the lowest program 54-hole team score of the 21st century. They finished 14 strokes ahead of second-place Arizona. BYU led the field in par 4 scoring, total birdies and eagles.
Three Cougars finished in the top five individually at the Arizona NIT. Kwon recorded a career-best runner-up finish at 13-under 203, making a tournament-high 18 birdies. Kim followed closely at 12-under 204 to tie for third, including two par 5 eagles in his opening round. Ponich tied for fifth at 11-under, highlighted by a bogey-free second round.
In its next event, BYU placed eighth at the John A. Burns Intercollegiate with an even-par finish.
At the Lamkin Invitational in San Diego, BYU took fourth, and Kwon notched another second-place finish. The junior shot 13-under across 54 holes, including a career-best 6-under in the final round. He also made three eagles during the tournament.
The Cougars finished third at the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, climbing five spots in the final round with a 16-under team score. Zac Jones and Shelley each recorded an eagle, while Ponich made five consecutive birdies.
At The Goodwin, BYU placed fourth at even par. Kim earned his first collegiate win, tying for first at 5-under. The sophomore from Salt Lake City carded the most pars in the field with 43 and went bogey-free in his first and final rounds.
BYU concluded regular-season play with a sixth-place finish at the 78th Western Intercollegiate in Santa Cruz, California. Kim led the Cougars with a 6-under finish, placing third individually.
At the Big 12 Championship, BYU placed ninth. Jones earned a top-15 finish, shooting 6-over through 72 holes, including four birdies in the third round.
The Cougars made history at the NCAA Reno Regional, capturing their first-ever regional title with a 15-under 849, four strokes ahead of No. 9 Virginia. Three BYU golfers finished under par. The team led the field in par 5 scoring average, averaging a 4.73, and made a tournament-high 61 birdies.
Ponich powered BYU’s advancement to the NCAA National Championship with a standout 7-under performance at the regional, highlighted by six birdies in the third round. He finished solo second, three shots behind the winner.
At the NCAA National Championship at Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California, BYU finished 13th, its best national finish in 20 years. The Cougars tallied 220 pars, fifth-most in the field. All five players placed in the top 75, with Ponich tying for 55th. The team shot 1-over in both the first and third rounds.
“This was a historic year for men’s golf,” said BYU Director of Golf Todd Miller. “We won our first Big 12 Match Play, our first NCAA Regional, and had our best finish in the NCAA Championship during the match play era. I felt really comfortable on any course because of our team’s experience. I’m proud of what we accomplished and what it means for the future of the program.”
Ponich and Jones will now pursue professional careers.
“We had two incredible leaders move on,” Miller said. “Cole had a solid year that has been a springboard—he just won the Provo Open in his professional debut. He’s experienced, fun to be around and incredibly knowledgeable about golf. The team loved learning from him.
“We’ll also miss Zac. He was a workhorse and set a high standard in everything he did. His practice sessions were always organized and intentional. He can really go low, and I’m excited to watch him succeed at the next level.”
BYU returns seniors Kwon and Shelley, juniors Kim and Angus Klintworth, and sophomores Max Wu and Jackson Mauss.
“Both myself and our returners are confident in our ability to make match play at the NCAA Championship,” Miller said. “Our 2025–26 squad has a great mix of experienced upperclassmen and talented underclassmen. Shelley, now a senior, has played in three national championships. Kihei Akina and Parker Bunn are ready to step in and make an impact. I hope we continue building a mentally tough and nationally competitive program.”