Completed Event: Men's Golf versus NCAA Championship on May 29, 2026 , , 13th of 30
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Final
Men's Golf
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Photo by: Duke Athletics
Duke Men's Golf Caps Record-Setting Season with NCAA Championship Appearance
6/15/2026 10:28:00 AM | Men's Golf
DURHAM, N.C. – In the first season under head coach Bob Heintz, Duke men's golf combined consistency, depth and postseason success to produce one of the strongest campaigns in program history during the 2025-26 season.
The Blue Devils registered seven top-five finishes, including a victory at the Rod Myers Invitational and four runner-up performances, while advancing through NCAA Regional competition and placing 13th at the NCAA Championship, the program's best national finish since 2018.
Duke established a number of team records throughout the year, highlighted by a program-record 27 under-par rounds, surpassing the previous mark of 21 set during the 2022-23 season. The Blue Devils also finished with a 283.86 team stroke average, the second-best single-season mark in school history.
"We started the year trying to think of ourselves as a dangerous group, one that could go out and shoot a really low round at any time," said Heintz. "We had a lot of firepower and believed we could make runs when opportunities presented themselves. That gave us an attitude of, 'We're going to go get this,' instead of sitting around and waiting to see what happens. I think the guys really embraced that mindset and proved they were capable of challenging anybody on any given day."
That mentality became evident throughout the season as Duke consistently positioned itself among the nation's top teams and saved some of its best golf for the postseason.
At the NCAA Regional in Marana, Arizona, the Blue Devils delivered the finest regional performance in program history. Duke's 24-under-par total of 840 topped the school NCAA Regional record of 22-under-par and secured the program's best regional finish since 2019. Junior Bryan Kim paced the effort by firing a final-round 7-under-par 65 to establish a Duke NCAA Regional individual record at 11-under-par 205, finishing tied for sixth place overall.
Duke carried that momentum to the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California, where the Blue Devils advanced to the fourth and final round of stroke play before finishing 13th nationally. The placement marked Duke's best NCAA Championship finish since a runner-up showing in 2018.
The Blue Devils also established a program NCAA Championship record with a 72-hole score of 4-over-par 1156, surpassing the previous standard of 8-over-par 1160 set by the 2018 squad.
"They were amazing at bouncing back," said Heintz. "You'd have a bad round or a difficult stretch where things weren't looking very good, and then all of a sudden William Love shoots 30 on the back nine and changes the momentum. Resiliency was a word we used a lot throughout the year, and this team embodied that. Frankly, they were also just really good. When you look at those top three guys, they're outstanding players, and when you have that kind of talent leading the way week after week, you're usually going to put yourself in position for success."
The Blue Devils' depth was on full display throughout the season, led by a trio of All-ACC selections in Ethan Evans, William Love and Kim. The honor marked just the second time in program history that three Duke golfers earned All-ACC recognition in the same year. Evans, Kim and Love also became the first trio in program history to each post a scoring average below 71.1 in the same season.
Evans delivered one of the finest campaigns by a Blue Devil in recent memory. The senior from Mercer Island, Washington, tied for 10th place at the NCAA Championship with a 7-under-par 281, the best finish by a Duke golfer at the national championship since 2006. He shattered the program's NCAA Championship scoring record in relation to par and became one of only five golfers in the championship field to post under-par scores in all four rounds.
Evans also tied for first place at the ACC Championship with an 8-under-par 208, recording Duke's best individual finish at the conference tournament since 2005. He finished the season with five top-10 finishes, including three top-five showings and an individual title, before ending the year No. 20 in the PGA TOUR University Ranking to earn membership on PGA TOUR Americas for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Kim continued his ascent as one of the nation's premier collegiate golfers. Ranked No. 24 nationally by Scoreboard, the junior from Brookeville, Maryland, rewrote portions of the Duke record book by establishing new single-season standards with 28 rounds of par or better, 24 under-par rounds and 18 rounds in the 60s. His 70.41 stroke average ranks second in Duke single-season history.
Kim claimed individual victories at both the Bryan Bros Collegiate and Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. His winning score of 16-under-par 197 at the Bryan Bros Collegiate matched the Duke 54-hole scoring record. He also earned ACC Men's Golfer of the Month honors in October and garnered recognition on the watch lists for both the Ben Hogan Award and Haskins Award.
Love provided another steady presence throughout the lineup and capped his career with one of the best statistical seasons in program history. The senior from Atlanta finished with a 71.03 stroke average, the sixth-best single-season mark by a Blue Devil, while recording 27 rounds of par or better and 11 rounds in the 60s.
Love earned ACC Men's Golfer of the Month honors in March after a standout spring campaign that included a runner-up finish at The Hayt Collegiate and co-medalist honors at the Seahawk Intercollegiate. He also authored one of the most impressive climbs at the ACC Championship, improving 36 positions over the final two rounds to finish tied for 15th.
The senior class of Evans, Love and Daniel Choi leaves a lasting legacy within the Duke program. Evans concluded his career ranked among the program's top 10 in stroke average, rounds in the 60s, under-par rounds, rounds of par or better and top-five finishes. Love finished among Duke's career leaders in stroke average, rounds in the 60s, under-par rounds and rounds of par or better, while Choi played a key role in helping guide the Blue Devils back to the NCAA Championship stage.
"There was certainly some apprehension," said Heintz. "I was becoming a head coach again for the first time since 2017, and while I had recruited these players and knew them well, you still desperately want to help them achieve at the level they're capable of reaching. To see them take the program to another level and experience the joy we shared during the postseason was incredibly gratifying."
With a record-setting postseason, multiple individual honors and one of the most successful statistical seasons in school history, the 2025-26 campaign established a strong foundation for the future of Duke men's golf under Heintz's leadership.
"You can't have a successful team without a staff that helps position student-athletes for success," said Heintz. "We're fortunate to have Elise Gentile's professionalism as our Director of Operations, along with Coach Daniel Bowden and Coach Jamie Gerhart providing player development and mentorship. The team and I are grateful for their tireless efforts throughout the year."
For more information on Duke men's golf, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching @DukeMGOLF.
#GoDuke
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The Blue Devils registered seven top-five finishes, including a victory at the Rod Myers Invitational and four runner-up performances, while advancing through NCAA Regional competition and placing 13th at the NCAA Championship, the program's best national finish since 2018.
Duke established a number of team records throughout the year, highlighted by a program-record 27 under-par rounds, surpassing the previous mark of 21 set during the 2022-23 season. The Blue Devils also finished with a 283.86 team stroke average, the second-best single-season mark in school history.
"We started the year trying to think of ourselves as a dangerous group, one that could go out and shoot a really low round at any time," said Heintz. "We had a lot of firepower and believed we could make runs when opportunities presented themselves. That gave us an attitude of, 'We're going to go get this,' instead of sitting around and waiting to see what happens. I think the guys really embraced that mindset and proved they were capable of challenging anybody on any given day."
That mentality became evident throughout the season as Duke consistently positioned itself among the nation's top teams and saved some of its best golf for the postseason.
At the NCAA Regional in Marana, Arizona, the Blue Devils delivered the finest regional performance in program history. Duke's 24-under-par total of 840 topped the school NCAA Regional record of 22-under-par and secured the program's best regional finish since 2019. Junior Bryan Kim paced the effort by firing a final-round 7-under-par 65 to establish a Duke NCAA Regional individual record at 11-under-par 205, finishing tied for sixth place overall.
Duke carried that momentum to the NCAA Championship in Carlsbad, California, where the Blue Devils advanced to the fourth and final round of stroke play before finishing 13th nationally. The placement marked Duke's best NCAA Championship finish since a runner-up showing in 2018.
The Blue Devils also established a program NCAA Championship record with a 72-hole score of 4-over-par 1156, surpassing the previous standard of 8-over-par 1160 set by the 2018 squad.
"They were amazing at bouncing back," said Heintz. "You'd have a bad round or a difficult stretch where things weren't looking very good, and then all of a sudden William Love shoots 30 on the back nine and changes the momentum. Resiliency was a word we used a lot throughout the year, and this team embodied that. Frankly, they were also just really good. When you look at those top three guys, they're outstanding players, and when you have that kind of talent leading the way week after week, you're usually going to put yourself in position for success."
The Blue Devils' depth was on full display throughout the season, led by a trio of All-ACC selections in Ethan Evans, William Love and Kim. The honor marked just the second time in program history that three Duke golfers earned All-ACC recognition in the same year. Evans, Kim and Love also became the first trio in program history to each post a scoring average below 71.1 in the same season.
Evans delivered one of the finest campaigns by a Blue Devil in recent memory. The senior from Mercer Island, Washington, tied for 10th place at the NCAA Championship with a 7-under-par 281, the best finish by a Duke golfer at the national championship since 2006. He shattered the program's NCAA Championship scoring record in relation to par and became one of only five golfers in the championship field to post under-par scores in all four rounds.
Evans also tied for first place at the ACC Championship with an 8-under-par 208, recording Duke's best individual finish at the conference tournament since 2005. He finished the season with five top-10 finishes, including three top-five showings and an individual title, before ending the year No. 20 in the PGA TOUR University Ranking to earn membership on PGA TOUR Americas for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Kim continued his ascent as one of the nation's premier collegiate golfers. Ranked No. 24 nationally by Scoreboard, the junior from Brookeville, Maryland, rewrote portions of the Duke record book by establishing new single-season standards with 28 rounds of par or better, 24 under-par rounds and 18 rounds in the 60s. His 70.41 stroke average ranks second in Duke single-season history.
Kim claimed individual victories at both the Bryan Bros Collegiate and Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. His winning score of 16-under-par 197 at the Bryan Bros Collegiate matched the Duke 54-hole scoring record. He also earned ACC Men's Golfer of the Month honors in October and garnered recognition on the watch lists for both the Ben Hogan Award and Haskins Award.
Love provided another steady presence throughout the lineup and capped his career with one of the best statistical seasons in program history. The senior from Atlanta finished with a 71.03 stroke average, the sixth-best single-season mark by a Blue Devil, while recording 27 rounds of par or better and 11 rounds in the 60s.
Love earned ACC Men's Golfer of the Month honors in March after a standout spring campaign that included a runner-up finish at The Hayt Collegiate and co-medalist honors at the Seahawk Intercollegiate. He also authored one of the most impressive climbs at the ACC Championship, improving 36 positions over the final two rounds to finish tied for 15th.
The senior class of Evans, Love and Daniel Choi leaves a lasting legacy within the Duke program. Evans concluded his career ranked among the program's top 10 in stroke average, rounds in the 60s, under-par rounds, rounds of par or better and top-five finishes. Love finished among Duke's career leaders in stroke average, rounds in the 60s, under-par rounds and rounds of par or better, while Choi played a key role in helping guide the Blue Devils back to the NCAA Championship stage.
"There was certainly some apprehension," said Heintz. "I was becoming a head coach again for the first time since 2017, and while I had recruited these players and knew them well, you still desperately want to help them achieve at the level they're capable of reaching. To see them take the program to another level and experience the joy we shared during the postseason was incredibly gratifying."
With a record-setting postseason, multiple individual honors and one of the most successful statistical seasons in school history, the 2025-26 campaign established a strong foundation for the future of Duke men's golf under Heintz's leadership.
"You can't have a successful team without a staff that helps position student-athletes for success," said Heintz. "We're fortunate to have Elise Gentile's professionalism as our Director of Operations, along with Coach Daniel Bowden and Coach Jamie Gerhart providing player development and mentorship. The team and I are grateful for their tireless efforts throughout the year."
For more information on Duke men's golf, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching @DukeMGOLF.
#GoDuke
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Players Mentioned
Tuesday, April 01
Saturday, October 19
Saturday, October 19
Friday, April 21
