The 2025 college and amateur golf season was an incredible one.
From Mason Howell’s emergence to Asterisk Talley’s continued dominance and plenty more, amateur golf is in as good of shape as it has ever been, and that trend seems to only be continuing.
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Here are five things we’d like to see in college and amateur golf inside the ropes next season.
Jackson Koivun wins his second Haskins
Jackson Koivun (USA) celebrates after winning his match on the 16th hole during singles matches of the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, Calif. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.
He has a PGA Tour card in his pocket and is the No. 1 amateur in the world for good reason. With likely only one semester left as an amateur before turning pro, it would be cool to see Auburn junior Jackson Koivun go on a run similar to what Luke Clanton did last spring and dominate college and amateur golf (with occasional starts on the PGA Tour) and become the first player since Phil Mickelson to win two Haskins Awards (Lefty won three of them).
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Someone shoots a 59 in college golf
N.C. State’s Lauren Olivares Leon. (Photo provided)
In the history of college golf, there have been 21 players who have signed for a round of 60. Each year, it seems there are more and more chances for players to become the first to break into the 50s, but it hasn’t happened yet. It’s going to soon. Why not in 2026?
A close Walker Cup on Sunday afternoon
Michael La Sasso (USA) plays a shot from a bunker on the sixth hole during foursome matches of the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, Calif. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025.
Maybe this is just me, as someone who covers the sport, but the Walker Cup badly needs a strong finish from GB&I to keep things interesting down the stretch. In the 50th Walker Cup this fall at Cypress Point, the Americans led by only one point going into Sunday Singles, but then claimed 8½ of the 10 possible points for a blowout victory. With the one-sided dominance in the competition, the Walker Cup could use a close finish.
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Year 3 at Omni La Costa
The Omni La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, California, home to the men’s and women’s NCAA Golf Championships.
Omni La Costa has been a good host course for the first two years of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. Last year, the course really had a chance to show what it was going to play like after having another year to grow in and acclimate after the Gil Hanse renovation. After the NCAA added two more years onto the contract for La Costa hosting the NCAAs, it’s time to see how the resort can take the next step in making itself the home of college golf’s national championship.
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Bruce Heppler’s final ride
Hiroshi Tai celebrates his individual championship with head coach Bruce Heppler of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets after stroke play concludes during the Division I Men’s Golf Championship held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa on May 27, 2024 in Carlsbad, California.
The legendary Georgia Tech coach is retiring after this season concludes. He has four runner-up finishes in his career leading the Yellowjackets, which spans four decades. What an incredible story it would be if Georgia Tech were to go on a run and win a national title in his final season.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 5 things on the college and amateur golf wish list for 2026
