Colorado men’s golf starts the 2026 Fall Season
Colorado Buffaloes men’s golf kicked off its fall season on Monday and Tuesday at the Vuori Invitational, hosted by the University of San Diego. The Men’s squad is looking to bounce back from a difficult end to last season, where the Buffs missed the NCAA championship cut by 19 strokes.
The Buffs played at the Rancho Santa Fe Club, in Rancho Santa Fe, California, against 12 other universities. These universities include familiar teams such as the Colorado State Rams, as well as No. 8-ranked Arkansas, No. 18-ranked BYU and more stretching across the Big 12, Big 10, SEC and the Big West.
The 54-hole tournament started on Monday at 8 a.m. local time, with golfers competing in two 18-hole shotgun rounds. The tournament will finish on Tuesday with a classic 18-hole match.
The par-72, 7,090-yard course was designed in 1927 but later updated by the legendary architect David McLay Kid in 2021. The course features lightning-fast greens, significant wind exposure and deep sand traps. The course creates an atmosphere where players must rely on safe, accurate shots to compete for a top spot on the leaderboard.
Head coach Roy Edwards is entered his 21st season leading the men’s squad and is looking to make a jump in competition. He returned an experienced group, along with several transfers and freshmen Colorado believes will make an immediate impact.
Among the notable returners is sophomore Parker Paxton, who earned himself a spot in the postseason lineup last year, where he competed in the Big 12 championship and the NCAA regional push. Sophomore Tyler Long also returns after placing second in the U.S. Open Amateur this summer and fourth in the Colorado Amateur tournament at 19 years old.
Several transfers and freshmen make their debut with Colorado this fall. The junior transfer coming out of Oklahoma, Asher Whitaker, had a 73.04 stroke average during his time in Oklahoma. Freshman Gavin Amella, who just graduated from Castle Rock High School (CO), won Colorado's junior championship and also qualified for the U.S. Junior amateurs. Both golfers are looking to make a quick adjustment to the squad.
The men’s team will compete in five tournaments this fall period, with a variety of lineup changes spanning September and October to prepare for the post-season push in the spring.
During this fall period, look for strong individual performances from the players listed above and Coach Edward’s coaching style, which Division I coaches recognize for its strengths in player development and decades of golf knowledge.
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