TOURNAMENT FACTS
Dates: Feb. 12–14, 2026
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Time: 9:00 a.m. HST shotgun each day
Venue: Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Location: Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i
Yardage (Par): 7,156 (70)
Live Scoring: SCOREBOARD
Host: Hawai‘i
Defending Team Co-Champions: Utah and UNLV
Defending Individual Co-Champions: Gabriel Palacios, Utah; Zach Little, UNLV
TEEING OFF
The 49th annual John A. Burns Intercollegiate – the seventh-longest running golf tournament in NCAA Division I – will be contested from Feb. 12–14 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala (Kaua‘i). Over three days, 19 men’s college golf teams from 10 athletic conferences will compete on the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in Hawai‘i.
TEAMS
BYU, California, Fresno State, Grand Canyon, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Miami (Ohio), Missouri, New Mexico, Saint Mary’s, San Diego State, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Texas A&M, UNLV, Utah, UTEP and Washington State.
UNLV celebrates their fifth John A. Burns Intercollegiate team title on Feb. 15, 2025 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
15 of the 19 Burns’ teams are ranked in the top 100 of DI, per SCOREBOARD.
The 2026 event includes six past team champions who have won a combined 19 Burns’ titles. Cal (2011, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15) and UNLV (1991, ’98, ’99, 2010, 2025) lead this year’s field with five team titles each, followed by BYU (1977, 2000, ’07, ’23) with four.
Utah celebrates their first John A. Burns Intercollegiate team title on Feb. 15, 2025 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i. It was their third team win in their last five stoke-play tournaments of the 2024-25 season.
INDIVIDUALS
Venezuelan Virgilio Paz, a senior at Mizzou, finished as runner-up in last month’s Latin American Amateur Championship (LAAC) in Peru after a compelling two-hole playoff. The prestigious win earned Paz exemptions into this year’s Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, British Open and U.S. Amateur Championship. Paz owns two top-five finishes at Mizzou.
Guatemalan Gabriel Palacios, a junior at Utah and 2025 PING NCAA Division I All-American honorable mention, will defend his Burns’ individual co-title The former No. 1 junior golfer from Guatemala is currently the tournament’s top-ranked player.
Englishman Zach Little, a senior at UNLV and fellow 2025 Burns individual co-champion, also returns to Kaua‘i after breaking the Ocean Course at Hōkūala’s par-70 scoring record last year with a 7-under 63 during his second round.
Utah’s Gabriel Palacios (left) and UNLV’s Zach Little (right) were co-individual champions of the 2025 John A. Burns Intercollegiate on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
Long Beach State’s Jack Cantlay, the 2023 Big West Freshman of the Year and brother of 2021 FedEx Champion and eight-time PGA TOUR winner, Patrick Cantlay, is one of many other notable players set to visit the Garden Isle.
New Mexico leads all programs with seven Burns’ individual medalists, ahead of Cal (six), Texas A&M (five), BYU (four) and UNLV (four).
VENUE
The Ocean Course at Hōkūala – meaning “Rising Star” in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi – is part of Timbers Kaua‘i – Ocean Club & Residences, a tranquil 450-acre resort property surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range.
Hole 14 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala hugs Kalapaki Bay in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
EVENT HISTORY
Named in honor of the state of Hawai‘i’s former governor, “The Burns” allows America’s top-ranked programs to annually play against one another in the Aloha State.
Notable Burns’ individual champions who have won on the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour include Steve Pate (UCLA, 1983), Notah Begay (Stanford, 1995), Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996), Bo Van Pelt (Oklahoma State, 1997), Ryan Moore (UNLV, 2005) and Julian Suri (Duke, 2012).
More recent Burns’ alumni include PGA TOUR member, Beau Hossler (Texas, 2016), three-time All-American and Korn Ferry Tour member, Sam Choi (New Mexico, 2020) and 2023 U.S. Amateur champion and Korn Ferry Tour member, Sam Bennett (Texas A&M, 2023).
QUOTES
“Players, coaches and fans always look forward to a great week on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala,” reflected Scott Simpson, Hawai‘i men’s golf coach and a seven-time PGA TOUR winner. “The front nine features several strategic holes that play alongside the jungle, while the back nine showcases some of the most beautiful holes anywhere, beginning on hole 13.”
Simpson added, “It’s a very fun course. There are plenty of birdie opportunities, but also holes that can quickly turn into double or triple bogeys if you miss in the wrong spots. It really forces players to think through their shots and manage the course, rather than simply blasting away.”
He later concluded, “The course is always in fantastic shape, but it’s really the staff who make it so special for teams visiting from the mainland. We are excited to compete against some of the best teams in the country. What better place to do it than on the beautiful island of Kaua‘i?”
PLAN YOUR VISIT
During sunrise on Wednesday and prior to the practice round, spectators are invited to join E Ala E – meaning “Rise Up” – at the Ocean Course at Hōkūala. The unique gathering is rooted in spirit, culture and community connection. Spectators should park in the temporary golf pro shop parking lot (3132 Ninini Point St.), then walk to the 14th green at 6:30 a.m.
During E Ala E – meaning “Rise Up” – at the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, guests listen to ancient Hawaiian ʻŌlelo (stories) of the area while enjoying stunning mountain and ocean views.
Tournament attendance is free for walking spectators. Parking is available on-site. The Ocean Course at Hōkūala is a five minute drive from Lihue Airport (LIH), which offers over 40 daily flights.
About Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Home to the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in the state of Hawai‘i, the Ocean Course was named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. The 18-hole golf course is part of Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, a private residential club which opened in 2018 on the island’s southeast coast. Timbers Kaua‘i sits on a 450-acre natural amphitheater and offers unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Troon
The Ocean Course at Hōkūala is managed by Indigo Sports, a Troon company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 950-plus locations in 45-plus states and 40-plus countries, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT
Pate Clarson
pclarson@golfhokuala.com