RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University men’s golf team will tee off in the Bandon Dunes Championship from March 9-11 with 54 holes of competition.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Colonels will take on Bandon Trails the No. 6 ranked public course in the United States in 2024 by Golfweek.
Bandon Trails is the third course designed at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. It is further inland than the original Bandon and Pacific Dunes courses, so wind is expected to be less of a factor.
Across the tournament, Bandon Trails will play as a 6794-yard, par 71 course.
The tournament field features 16 teams, including the Colonels, Air Force, Boise State, Boston College, Cal State – Northridge, Idaho, Morehead St., North Dakota St., North Idaho College, Oregon, San Jose State, Seattle U, SIU-Edwardsville, Tarleton St., Utah Tech, and Utah Valley.
Anders Larson, Zach Watterson, Justin Begley, Jackson Finney, and Gehrig Sexton will take the course at EKU.
Considered to be the premier collegiate golf tournament in the Northwest, this is the first time EKU has participated in the Bandon Dunes Championship.
The tournament began in 2010 and has seen the best of college golf compete on the five courses at the resort. Notre Dame won the first tournament in 2010, and past team champions include Washington, Missouri, Duke, Clemson, Arizona State, and Oregon. Hundreds of golf student-athletes have participated in the previous 14 tournaments, including future pros Wyndham Clark, Bryson DeChambeau, and Xander Schauffele among others.
This is the second time the Colonels have traveled out west this Spring having previously hosted the Mesquite Desert Classic in February where they finished in second at 18-under.
Larson will look to find similar form as well as he finished second individually in Nevada with a 12-under overall performance, including a second round, 65.