For the first time since the 2020-21 season, San Diego State men’s golf failed to win the Mountain West Championship, snapping its league-tying record of four consecutive conference titles.
That reality might serve as a positive, however.
“Last year, we won conference and didn’t go to nationals, so this year might as well be the other way around, right?” said sophomore Harry Takis. “You can’t have a year where you miss them both. That would suck.”
The last time the Aztecs didn’t take home the conference trophy, they battled their way into the NCAA Championship in Scottsdale, Arizona. SDSU hasn’t made it back since, marking a five-year drought, and counting.
This year’s squad is ready and eager to put this streak to rest.
“We have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder and I think we got guys that are just hungry to go out and win,” said senior Tyler Kowack.
Heavy reliance on veteran leadership and superstar talent
Kowack and Takis have been the driving force behind the Aztecs throughout the 2025-26 season.
Kowack had a stellar fall season, including a win at the Marquette Intercollegiate at Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin. He shot 2-under at the 2017 U.S. Open venue, which was enough to earn his third-straight appearance on the all-Mountain West Team, despite struggling throughout the spring season before a much-needed second-place finish at the MWC.
“It was a great boost,” Kowack said. “I haven’t had my best stuff, but the good thing is, my team has kind of rallied around me and Coach Donovan has stuck by me … Their belief gave me the little push I needed.”
Takis has been exceptional all year, averaging 69.22 strokes per round, an Aztec single-season record, along with a win at the Southwestern Invitational. The victory, as well as five top-3 finishes, led to him receiving his first Mountain West Golfer of the Year honor.
“I was happy to get it … I got Freshman of the Year last year but you can only win that one once,” Takis said. “I’m gonna try and do it again in the Pac-12 next year, of course.”
He’s also currently the No. 4-ranked player in the NCAA rankings, which helped get his name onto the Haskins Award Postseason Watch List and earn a semifinalist position for the Ben Hogan Award.
However, he has his eyes set on more than just the individual accolades.
“It’s cool to be on the list … but there’s nothing that that does for the team,” Takis said. “We all want to play at nationals, we all want to play at home. It’ll probably be the coolest golf tournament we ever get to play in.”
Most recently, Kowack finished 16-under-par at the MWC to earn solo-second with Takis just behind him at 13-under, which was enough to secure third.
The top five teams out of 14 from the Marana Regional will advance to the NCAA Championship. Both Kowack and Takis must perform at their best for this to be obtainable, but they will need help from the rest of their team to have a real shot at qualifying.
“We need our top guys to play really well, but we need everybody this week,” said head coach Ryan Donovan.
Taking advantage of location
Although it’s not an excuse, traveling to Florida for the regional tournament last year made it quite difficult for the Aztecs.
This year, however, SDSU will head to The Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Arizona, just 10 miles from Omni Tucson National, where they competed in the MWC a couple of weeks ago.
“There’s a lot of things that go into it, like we can drive to the tournament,” Takis said. “So that helps, you don’t have to get up early and take a five-hour flight and then you’re tired when you get there.”
Takis and Kowack have not played the course before; in fact, Takis’ first time in Arizona was at the MWC. However, this might not be a disadvantage, as The Gallery doesn’t present major challenges.
The course is right around 7,400 yards, making it a gettable track for the Aztecs, due to the length not being severe. Not to mention, they are fairly comfortable with the weather conditions and Bermuda grass in Arizona, giving them some local knowledge that other schools won’t have coming into this week.
“We were just there two weeks ago, so we know the weather, the atmosphere and kind of how the golf course is going to play,” Donovan said. “We’re used to the grass, so it’s a similar grass that we played on. We’re used to the warm weather and just a short trip is always nice.”
The biggest test of the course will be the wind. Coach Donovan believes the course could show its teeth a little if the gusts are higher than expected.
“It’s very unpredictable there this time of year. It’s gonna be warm,” Donovan said. “[The Gallery] is not going to be overly long … We’ll be able to step up and step back where we need to on this kind of setting.”
The Scarlet and Black head to The Gallery Golf Club with a clear understanding of the momentum they would have if they’re able to qualify for the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad.
SDSU will tee off on May 18 to begin their quest for a national championship bid, hoping to compete for a title in front of its home crowd.
“We’ve come very close the last few years and I think we need to put that narrative in the past,” Kowack said. “It’s a new year.”
