Men's Golf Heads to Hawai'i This Weekend

MALIBU, California – With RJ Manke and Clay Feagler coming off back-to-back individual titles, the #6 Pepperdine men's golf team continues its fall season this weekend at Hawai'i's Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational.

EVENT INFO – The Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational will be held at the par-72, 7,223-yard Princeville Makai Golf Club in Princeville, Kaua'i. There will be a single round each day between Sunday and Tuesday (October 28-30). Live scoring will be available via Golfstat.

FIELD – In addition to Pepperdine, the 20-team field includes host Hawai'i, Army, Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Denver, East Tennessee State, Idaho, Louisiana, Louisville, Loyola Marymount, McNeese State, Mississippi, Missouri, Purdue, Sam Houston State, San Diego, UAB, UMKC and Utah Valley.

PEPPERDINE LINEUP – The Waves' lineup consists of junior Joshua McCarthy (Danville, Calif./De La Salle HS), junior Clay Feagler (Laguna Niguel, Calif./Dana Hills HS), freshman Joe Highsmith (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep), sophomore RJ Manke (Lakewood, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) and sophomore Austin Murphy (Morgan Hill, Calif./Bellarmine College Prep).

RANKINGS – Pepperdine is currently rated #6 in the Bushnell/Golfweek coaches poll, #8 by Golfweek/Sagarin and #11 by Golfstat ... Clay Feagler is #18 by Golfstat and #19 by Golfweek/Sagarin ... Joe Highsmith is #108 by Golfweek and #117 by Golfweek/Sagarin ... Joshua McCarthy is #112 by Golfweek/Sagarin and #146 by Golfstat ... RJ Manke is #126 by Golfweek/Sagarin.

EVENT HISTORY – This is the sixth time in the last seven years the Waves have competed at this event after taking last year off (though the Waves did go to Hawai'i last fall to play in another tournament). Their best finish was fourth in 2015. Frederick Wedel won the tournament in 2014. Joshua McCarthy is the only Wave in the lineup to have played this event.

2018-19 HIGHLIGHTS – The Waves set multiple school records in winning the Alister MacKenzie Invitational, including best round (22-under in the final round), best 36-hole score (30-under) and best 54-hole score (52-under). RJ Manke earned medalist honors for his first college title. He set school records for best round (10-under in the final round) and best 54-hole score (22-under) ... Clay Feagler gave the Waves back-to-back winners, as he finished in a three-way tie for first place at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate with a 4-under 206 ... That was Feagler's third career title (one shy of the school record), all of which have come in 2018.

2018-19 HONORS – The Waves were a unanimous choice by the WCC's coaches to repeat as conference champions in the preseason poll ... Clay Feagler, Joshua McCarthy and Sahith Theegala were named to the preseason All-WCC team ... Joe Highsmith was listed at #9 among Golfweek's top freshmen in the nation.

ROSTER – The Waves' roster consists of three seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen. All five players that were part of last year's record-setting lineup at the WCC Championships are back, but Sahith Theegala -- a two-time All-American, a three-time All-WCC first team honoree and a member of the 2018 USA's Arnold Palmer Cup squad – is currently out with a wrist injury and is likely to redshirt 2018-19. Clay Feagler and Joshua McCarthy have each been All-WCC twice. Feagler was medalist at the 2018 WCC Championships and McCarthy was an individual qualifier for the 2018 NCAA Championships. Roy Cootes is also a previous All-WCC honoree.

PEPPERDINE GOLF – Thanks to its victory at the 1997 NCAA Championships, Pepperdine will always be known on a national level for its outstanding men's golf program. The Waves have made nine appearances at the NCAA Championships since 1993 and have achieved NCAA Regional berths in 23 of the last 27 years. In the West Coast Conference, they've won a league-best 19 championships since 1987 and have finished either first or second in 25 of the last 32 years. Seventh-year head coach Michael Beard, who has earned a conference-record three consecutive WCC Coach of the Year awards, leads the Waves.

ONLINE — The squad is on Twitter (@PeppGolf), Facebook (/PeppGolf) and Instagram (peppgolf). You can also follow @CoachMBeard and @blainewoodruff on Twitter.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY – Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and nine overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 25 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #46 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Roy Cootes

Clay Feagler

Joe Highsmith

RJ Manke

Joshua McCarthy

Austin Murphy

Sahith Theegala

Footer