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Photo by: Katie Parks / SEC
TOURNAMENT PREVIEW: NCAA Championship
May 22, 2025 | Men's Golf
CARLSBAD, Calif. – The No. 11 Texas A&M Aggies battle the best in search of their second national title at the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship from Friday to Wednesday.
The championship is being contested at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa for the second time. The North Course is a par-72 track measuring 7,538 yards. All 30 teams embark on stroke play the first three days. The field is cut to 15 teams for Monday's final round of stroke play. The top eight teams advance to the match play bracket with the quarterfinals and semifinals contested Tuesday and the national champion decided Monday.
The individual NCAA champion is crowned based on the four rounds of stroke play. The medalist earns a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open and the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
The Aggies won the national championship in 2009, besting Arkansas in the title bout.
The current NCAA Championship format of stroke play funneling into an eight-team match play bracket started in 2009. In addition to their 2009 title run, the Aggies also participated in the match play portion of the tournament in 2018 and 2019. Ol' Sarge's charges also have top-5 finishes in 1961 (5th) and 1982 (4th) when the tournament was only stroke play.
Texas A&M fields a formidable lineup including All-SEC First Team selection Phichaksn Maichon who has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last eight tournaments. Maichon and Michael Heidelbaugh are playing their last tournament with the Aggies. Jaime Montojo, Aaron Pounds and SEC All-Freshman Team performer Wheaton Ennis round out the Aggie fivesome. Jacob Sosa travels to Omni La Costa as A&M's alternate.
Nineteen of the teams ranked in the Scoreboard Rankings powered by Clippd top 25 survived regional play and the field includes nine of the top 10 teams. Texas A&M is one of 10 SEC teams which endured the grueling regional action, finishing runner-up at the Auburn site. Other conferences with multiple teams in the field include the ACC and Big 12 with five apiece, the Big 10 with three and West Coast Conference with two.
Action starts at 8:30 a.m. each day. The Maroon & White are paired with Illinois and UCLA for the first two rounds. The trio tees off from No. 1 Friday starting at 3:07 p.m. and No. 10 Saturday beginning at 9:47 a.m.
Live scoring is available at Scoreboard powered by Clippd. The tournament features Golf Channel coverage the final three days.
THE FIELD
THE LINEUP
Team
Phichaksn Maichon – Senior – Bangkok, Thailand
Michael Heidelbaugh – Senior – Dallas, Texas
Wheaton Ennis – Freshman – Eagle, Idaho
Aaron Pounds – Sophomore – The Woodlands, Texas
Jaime Montojo – Junior – Madrid, Spain
Alternate
Jacob Sosa – Junior – Austin, Texas
COURSE
The former Champions Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa underwent a 2023 renovation and was christened the North Course. Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner orchestrated the dramatic redesign of the course in preparation for hosting the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Championships. The course changes included a par-5 18th hole playing over 600 yards, a drivable par-4 for the 11th hole and moving the green on the par-3 16th to resemble the iconic No. 12 at Augusta National. The new layout is aimed at increasing the risk-reward decisions for players in both stroke and match play. Opened in 1965, the course hosted the PGA Tour's Mercedes Championship from 1969-98 along with welcoming the WCC-Accenture Match Play Championships on eight occasions. The layout meanders through the placid wetlands of the La Costa Valley highlighting the rolling hills.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Friday: 74/57, low clouds followed by some sun, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 17 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 70/55, low clouds giving way to sunshine, SSW 8-10 mph gusting to 14 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 69/55, low clouds giving way to sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 16 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Monday: 71/55, nice with partial sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 15 mph, 2% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 70/56, intervals of clouds and sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 17 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
Wednesday: 70/53, times of clouds and sun, WSW 6-8 mph gusting to 14 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Friday: 68/59, partly cloudy skies, SSW 10-15 mph, 8% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 65/57, cloudy skies early become partly cloudy later, SSW 10-15 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 66/58, partly cloudy skies, SW 5-10 mph, 5% probability of precipitation.
Monday: 67/59, sun and a few passing clouds, SW 5-10 mph, 5% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 66/58, cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late, SW 5-10 mph, 11% probability of precipitation.
Wednesday: 66/58, cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing, SW 5-10 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M men's golf, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The championship is being contested at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa for the second time. The North Course is a par-72 track measuring 7,538 yards. All 30 teams embark on stroke play the first three days. The field is cut to 15 teams for Monday's final round of stroke play. The top eight teams advance to the match play bracket with the quarterfinals and semifinals contested Tuesday and the national champion decided Monday.
The individual NCAA champion is crowned based on the four rounds of stroke play. The medalist earns a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open and the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
The Aggies won the national championship in 2009, besting Arkansas in the title bout.
The current NCAA Championship format of stroke play funneling into an eight-team match play bracket started in 2009. In addition to their 2009 title run, the Aggies also participated in the match play portion of the tournament in 2018 and 2019. Ol' Sarge's charges also have top-5 finishes in 1961 (5th) and 1982 (4th) when the tournament was only stroke play.
Texas A&M fields a formidable lineup including All-SEC First Team selection Phichaksn Maichon who has finished in the top 10 in seven of his last eight tournaments. Maichon and Michael Heidelbaugh are playing their last tournament with the Aggies. Jaime Montojo, Aaron Pounds and SEC All-Freshman Team performer Wheaton Ennis round out the Aggie fivesome. Jacob Sosa travels to Omni La Costa as A&M's alternate.
Nineteen of the teams ranked in the Scoreboard Rankings powered by Clippd top 25 survived regional play and the field includes nine of the top 10 teams. Texas A&M is one of 10 SEC teams which endured the grueling regional action, finishing runner-up at the Auburn site. Other conferences with multiple teams in the field include the ACC and Big 12 with five apiece, the Big 10 with three and West Coast Conference with two.
Action starts at 8:30 a.m. each day. The Maroon & White are paired with Illinois and UCLA for the first two rounds. The trio tees off from No. 1 Friday starting at 3:07 p.m. and No. 10 Saturday beginning at 9:47 a.m.
Live scoring is available at Scoreboard powered by Clippd. The tournament features Golf Channel coverage the final three days.
THE FIELD
| Auburn (1) | Illinois (12) | South Florida (27) |
| Oklahoma State (2) | UCLA (14) | Colorado (29) |
| Ole Miss (3) | Vanderbilt (16) | UNLV (31) |
| Texas (4) | Brigham Young (19) | Purdue (36) |
| Arizona State (5) | South Carolina (20) | San Diego (39) |
| Oklahoma (6) | Pepperdine (21) | Wake Forest (40) |
| Florida (7) | Georgia (22) | New Mexico (42) |
| Florida State (9) | Tennessee (23) | Troy (46) |
| Virginia (10) | Texas Tech (24) | California (49) |
| Texas A&M (11) | Georgia Tech (26) | Augusta (93) |
THE LINEUP
Team
Phichaksn Maichon – Senior – Bangkok, Thailand
- Fred Haskins Award Finalist and All-SEC First Team in 2025
- Slotted No. 10 in the PGA TOUR University ranking and No. 20 in the Scoreboard Ranking
- Started 2025 by claiming the Bonallack Trophy clinching match for Team Asia-Pacific in January and will participate in his second Arnold Palmer Cup in June
- Advanced to the round of 16 at last year's U.S. Amateur
- PING/GCAA Division I All-America Third Team in 2024 and Honorable Mention in 2023
- Owns 4 career titles – 2023 Bearkat Invitational, 2024 Louisiana Classics, 2025 Sea Best Invitational and 2025 Aggie Invitational
- Last time out – finished t-7th at the NCAA Auburn Regional, firing a 3-under 213 (70-72-71)
Michael Heidelbaugh – Senior – Dallas, Texas
- Slotted at a career-best No. 100 in the Scoreboard National Player Ranking powered by Clippd
- Owns a 70.1 adjusted stroke average 37 rounds, sporting a 681-250-45 W-L-T
- Set SEC Championship opening round record and tied overall round record with a 9-under 61 on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club
- Earned GCAA Srixon/Cleveland All-America Scholar (2022, 2023 & 2024) recognition
- Recorded five top 20 finishes in 2023-24, including a 14th place showing at the SEC Championships
- Topped Stanford's No. 260 Ethan Gao 2UP in match play at January's Hideaway Shootout
- Last time out – finished t-7th at the NCAA Auburn Regional, firing a 3-under 214 (72-72-70)
Wheaton Ennis – Freshman – Eagle, Idaho
- Slotted at No. 83 in the Scoreboard National Player Ranking powered by Clippd with a 69.8 adjusted scoring average and 765-250-38 W-L-T in 40 rounds
- Named to 2025 SEC All-Freshman Team
- Ended 2024 by participating in the prestigious Patriot All-America Invitational
- Earned SEC FOTW after OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational, Sea Best Invitational and Louisiana Classics
- Won the Arizona Amateur at Phoenix Country Club in June '24, never trailing in the title match
- Participated in the U.S. Amateur (advancing to round of 32) over the summer
- Last time out – finished t-20th at the NCAA Auburn Regional, registering a 3-over 219 (73-73-73)
Aaron Pounds – Sophomore – The Woodlands, Texas
- Slotted at a career-best No. 133 in the Scoreboard National Player Ranking powered by Clippd
- Twice named an AJGA Rolex Junior All-American and was slotted as No. 1 player in '23 recruiting class
- Selected 2021-22 All-USA Today National Prep Boys Golfer of the Year; finalist for the award in '22-23
- Ended 202-23 ranked No. 2 in PGA High School Player Ranking after topping list in 2021-22
- Advanced to Round of 32 at USGA Amateur Four-Ball Championship teamed w/ Jack Usner in '22 & '23
- Qualified for the 2022 USGA Junior Amateur
- Owns two 3rd place finishes in 2024-25, including the Furman Invitational and Aggie Invitational
- Last time out – finished t-7th at the NCAA Auburn Regional, firing a 3-under 213 (73-70-70)
Jaime Montojo – Junior – Madrid, Spain
- Earned NCAA Division I PING All-Central Region honors in 2024
- Played in The 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon
- Finished sophomore year 146th in the Clippd College Player Rankings
- Claimed first collegiate win with co-medalist honors at the 2024 Aggie Invitational at Traditions Club
- Debuted on DP World Tour Oct. '23 in the Estrella Damm Andalucia Masters at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande
- Keyed Spain's 2023 European Amateur Team Championship victory – winning the clinching match 2&1
- Made a late charge to finish t-13th at the 2023 European Amateur Championship in Parnu, Estonia
- Last time out – finished t-38th at the NCAA Auburn Regional, registering an 8-over 224 (74-74-76)
Alternate
Jacob Sosa – Junior – Austin, Texas
- Best finish this season was a fifth at the Furman Intercollegiate, firing a 6-under 207 (71-65-71)
- Participated in nine tournaments for Texas in the 2023-24 campaign, registering a 72.50 scoring average.
- Played in 10 tournaments as a freshman posting a 72.28 stroke average.
- Participating in his first collegiate tournament since March 25-26 - the 2024 Valspar Collegiate Invitational.
- Opened the 2023-24 season with a seventh-place finish at the Sahalee Players Championship and added a fourth place showing at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational.
- Ten of his 20 rounds in 2023-24 were par or better, including seven rounds in the 60s.
- Last time out – finished t-25th at the Aggie Invitational, carding a 9-over 225 (73-72-80).
COURSE
The former Champions Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa underwent a 2023 renovation and was christened the North Course. Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner orchestrated the dramatic redesign of the course in preparation for hosting the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Championships. The course changes included a par-5 18th hole playing over 600 yards, a drivable par-4 for the 11th hole and moving the green on the par-3 16th to resemble the iconic No. 12 at Augusta National. The new layout is aimed at increasing the risk-reward decisions for players in both stroke and match play. Opened in 1965, the course hosted the PGA Tour's Mercedes Championship from 1969-98 along with welcoming the WCC-Accenture Match Play Championships on eight occasions. The layout meanders through the placid wetlands of the La Costa Valley highlighting the rolling hills.
WEATHER FORECAST
Accuweather.com
Friday: 74/57, low clouds followed by some sun, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 17 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 70/55, low clouds giving way to sunshine, SSW 8-10 mph gusting to 14 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 69/55, low clouds giving way to sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 16 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Monday: 71/55, nice with partial sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 15 mph, 2% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 70/56, intervals of clouds and sunshine, SW 8-10 mph gusting to 17 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
Wednesday: 70/53, times of clouds and sun, WSW 6-8 mph gusting to 14 mph, 0% probability of precipitation.
Weather.com
Friday: 68/59, partly cloudy skies, SSW 10-15 mph, 8% probability of precipitation.
Saturday: 65/57, cloudy skies early become partly cloudy later, SSW 10-15 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
Sunday: 66/58, partly cloudy skies, SW 5-10 mph, 5% probability of precipitation.
Monday: 67/59, sun and a few passing clouds, SW 5-10 mph, 5% probability of precipitation.
Tuesday: 66/58, cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late, SW 5-10 mph, 11% probability of precipitation.
Wednesday: 66/58, cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing, SW 5-10 mph, 4% probability of precipitation.
For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M men's golf, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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