Clemson takes two-shot lead in Kā‘anapali Classic by OUTRIGGER

With heavy rain forecast for Maui next week, coaches moved up the opening round of the 2026 Kāʻanapali Classic by OUTRIGGER to Sunday. Clemson made the most of it.

The No. 26-ranked Tigers carded a 2-under 282 on Royal Kā‘anapali to take a two-shot lead over No. 12 Georgia, which finished at even-par 284. Clemson was the only team in the 20-team field to finish under par, as strong winds and fast greens challenged the nation’s top collegiate players.

Clemson’s Hampton Roberts eyes his drive on Royal Kāʻanapali’s 4th hole during the first round of the 2026 Kā‘anapali Classic by OUTRIGGER on Oct. 26, 2026 in Lahaina, HI. 

Houston sits third at 5 over, followed by No. 18 Kansas at 7 over, No. 22 Oklahoma at 8 over and TCU at 9 over.

Clemson’s Hampton Roberts led the 125-player individual field with a 4-under 67, one stroke ahead of Connecticut’s Kai Jun Huang and East Tennessee State’s Oli Blackadder. Tiger teammates Oscar Holm-Bredkjaer and Gabriel Holtz each shot 3-under 68.

“With three players inside the top four, it was a quality performance by our team,” said Clemson head men’s golf coach Jordan Byrd, brother of five-time PGA TOUR and two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner Jonathan Byrd. “Birdies can be made at Royal Kā‘anapali, but you have to earn them on these fast greens. We know tomorrow will be a long day with 20 teams playing 27 holes. Our guys are used to it. Every tournament is a learning opportunity for how to overcome adversity. We welcome the challenge.”

Roberts sets the pace

Roberts, a senior who transferred to Clemson from North Carolina, fired a first-round 67. The Cary, North Carolina native had previously enjoyed success in Hawai‘i. His best collegiate finish came at the 2024 Amer Ari Invitational on Hawai‘i Island, where he finished second after a playoff.

Five players are tied at 2-under, including Clemson’s Holm-Bredkjaer and Holtz, Oklahoma’s Cayse Morgan, Georgia’s Grayson Wood and Gonzaga’s Cooper Paull. Purdue’s Jenson Forrester also sits at 2-under.

The crowded leaderboard features 11 players at 1-under or better. Georgia’s Sungyeop Cho is among that group at 1 under, alongside Kansas’ Arthur Carlier and Wyoming’s Kellen Ball.

Georgia, Oklahoma, TCU close behind

Georgia finished in solo second place behind Wood, who carded a 2-under 69, as well as Cho, who added a 1-under 70. The Bulldogs are competing under first-year head coach Mookie DeMoss, who took over this season following the retirement of longtime coach Chris Haack.

The Bulldogs traveled with JD Culbreth, the No. 2-ranked player in the country. Culbreth opened at 1-over and is tied for 17th.

Oklahoma has won four straight Kāʻanapali Classic titles. The Sooners opened this year’s title defense in fifth place at 8-over, led individually by Morgan at 2-under.

TCU returned four of five players who reached an NCAA Regional last season. Cameron Kuchar, son of nine-time PGA TOUR winner, Matt Kuchar, led the Horned Frogs at 1-over, tied for 17th.

Hawai‘i Rainbow Warriors

Host Hawai‘i is in 15th place, with senior Anson Cabello sidelined by a back injury.

Senior Josh Hayashida led the Rainbow Warriors with a 1-over 72, placing him in a tie for 17th. The O‘ahu native took a medical redshirt last season after sustaining a back injury following his victory in the Manoa Cup.

Maui’s PGA TOUR ties

The Kā‘anapali Classic has helped launch memorable collegiate careers. Clemson has a particularly strong connection to the event.

In 2016, Clemson freshman Doc Redman won the individual title in Lahaina, closing with a 7-under 64 to defeat LSU’s Sam Burns by two strokes. Redman later won the 2017 U.S. Amateur Championship and, in 2026, earned two Korn Ferry Tour victories that helped secure his place among the players qualifying for the 2027 PGA TOUR season.

A decade after Redman’s breakthrough on Maui, Roberts and the Tigers have positioned themselves to make another title run.

Pre-tournament blessing

Before Sunday’s opening round, players and coaches gathered for a pre-tournament blessing, offering a chance to personally connect with the land and people of Maui.

The second round begins on Monday at 8:30 a.m. HT. Attendance is free for walking spectators. Parking is available on-site. Overflow parking is at nearby Whalers Village for a small fee.

All team and individual scores can be found here: SCOREBOARD

Team Leaderboard

Top Individuals

*Competing as Individual

TOURNAMENT FACTS

• Dates: Oct. 25–27, 2026
• Format: 54 holes; 18 holes Sunday, 27 holes Monday, 9 holes Tuesday; 5-count-4
• Time: 8:30 a.m. HST shotgun start each day
• Venue: Kā‘anapali Golf Courses; Royal Kā‘anapali
• Location: Lahaina, Maui
• Yardage (Par): 6,700 (71)