HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i men's golf team heads to the desert to open postseason play at the 2026 Big West Men's Golf Championship, held Sunday, May 3 through Tuesday, May 5. The 54-hole tournament returns for a sixth consecutive year to the La Quinta Country Club in La Quinta, Calif.
 
The 10-team conference field features Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai'i, defending champion Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Barbara. Participants will play 18 holes each day on the demanding par-72, 7,056-yard layout.
 
The Rainbow Warriors are seeded sixth and slated to tee off in Sunday's opening round between 10:50 a.m. PT and 11:30 a.m. PT, playing alongside UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara.
 
Long Beach State enters the week seeking a fourth consecutive Big West crown and stands as the highest-ranked team in the conference, sitting at No. 28 nationally in the latest Scoreboard by Clippd rankings. The Beach won the 2025 title in dominant fashion with a championship-record team score of 22-under 842.
 
The Rainbow Warriors will send a contingent of James Whitworth, Dane Watanabe, Nathan Szpakowicz, Alec Hilgers, and Chris Salem and alternate Cameron Combado. Last season, Watanabe placed 40^th with a 5-over 221 total and UH tied for ninth in the team standings.
 
UH's best all-time finish at the Big West Championship was fifth in 2019 when the 'Bows hosted the event at the Wailua Golf Course in Līhu'e, Kaua'i.
 
The team champion will earn the league's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Regional field. Additionally, the individual medalist will secure a place in the NCAA Regionals if they are not a member of the winning team or on a squad chosen for an at-large selection.
 
Tournament #10
Dates: May 3-5, 2026
Format: Three-days; 54 holes (18 holes each day); 5-count-4
Course: La Quinta Country Club
Location: La Quinta, Calif.
Yardage (Par): 7,056 yards (72)
Live Scoring: Scoreboard.Clippd.com
Participating Teams (10): Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai'i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara