Defending the crown is a challenge only a victor can claim.
For the Bruins, a return to the Midwest presents a tempting opportunity to run it back at a course where they have enjoyed great success.
UCLA men’s golf will head to Notre Dame, Indiana, to compete in the Fighting Irish Classic from Sunday to Monday and defend its title at Warren Golf Course. Last season, the Bruins finished first in the tournament after shooting 7-under 833.
This time around, the field consists of fourteen teams, including the three finishers who finished behind UCLA last season: North Carolina, host Notre Dame and Louisville. The two-day tournament will be a 54-hole stroke-play event.
Coach Armen Kirakossian, who helped guide his team to victory in Notre Dame last year, expressed confidence in his players for the upcoming tournament.
“They really like Notre Dame’s tournament and the golf course out there,” Kirakossian said. “I think they are eager to get back at it and start competing.”
Several players from his squad return to Indiana with hopes of continuing their good form in this event. Among the standouts from last season’s competition, now-junior Baylor Larrabee finished fourth with a 4-under 206, and now-sophomore Tyler Loree tied for fifth with his 3-under 207.
For Larrabee, however, the focus is on improving the team’s performance this season.
“I think it is going to be a lot about how we improve from last week,” Larrabee said. “I think last week we had flashes of being right there and winning.”
While the Bruins finished in a tie for eighth at the Ben Hogan Collegiate Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas, the level of competition was stiff and the hot weather only increased the difficulty. Even though this was not the result Kirakossian’s men wanted, it certainly reflected the challenges of the event.
Those types of outcomes, meanwhile, can raise the confidence level of the team.
“I think on those 36-hole tournament rounds, it is pretty easy to get worn down and tired,” said sophomore Josh Kim. “I think if we can bring our energy back (from last season) to this next event, we will have a really, really good week.”
A title defense is never easy, especially after competing in a grueling tournament just a few days before.
Despite the challenge, the Bruins remain optimistic that they can rely on both their prior success in Notre Dame as well as their recently earned grit as motivation.
“I think we have shown that we can compete with the best teams in the country,” Kirakossian said. “And when we are playing good golf, our good golf is just as good as anybody else.”
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