VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Eastern Kentucky University men's golf team placed third at the 2026 Atlantic Sun Conference Men's Golf Championship on Thursday afternoon at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.

The Colonels posted a three-round total of 861 (-3), finishing under par across the 54-hole event contested on the par-72, 7,517-yard layout.

EKU's third-place showing marks the program's highest finish at a conference championship since the 2017-18 season as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Colonels finished one stroke behind second-place Stetson and two shots ahead of fourth-place Lipscomb.

Senior Anders Larson led the way with one of the top performances of his career, carding a 208 (-8) to tie for third individually. The Pine Island, Minnesota, native fired rounds of 70 (-2), 66 (-6) and 72 (E) to earn ASUN All-Tournament Team honors.

Larson's second-round 66 was the lowest 18-hole score in the 2026 championship field and tied for the second-lowest round by a Colonel in a conference championship in program history. He recorded 16 birdies and just seven bogeys over the three rounds, finishing four shots off the individual title.

Junior Zach Watterson also turned in a top-10 finish, tying for 10th with a 214 (-2). The Beattyville, Kentucky, native posted rounds of 70 (-2), 71 (-1) and 73 (+1), totaling 11 birdies and an eagle on the par-5 11th hole in the opening round.

Sophomore Jameson Corbin placed third among EKU golfers with a 221 (+5), climbing 11 spots in the final round after carding a 71 (-1) on Thursday. The Glasgow, Kentucky, native finished his tournament with two birdies and an eagle on the par-4 seventh hole.

Rounding out the lineup, senior Justin Begley tied for 35th with a 222 (+6), while redshirt freshman Hristo Yanakiev placed 52nd with a 233 (+17).

The Colonels improved their standing each day, moving from fifth after the opening round to fourth after round two and finishing third. EKU was the only team among the top six to move up the leaderboard in the final round, passing Lipscomb by one stroke.

EKU led the field on par-5 holes, finishing 22-under with a 4.63 scoring average, which was seven strokes better than tournament champion Florida Gulf Coast.

FGCU captured the team title with a score of 849 (-15) and produced the top two individual finishers. Sebastian Gamboa earned medalist honors with a 204 (-12), highlighted by rounds of 67 (-5) on each of the first two days.
 
3. EKU                               287-285-289=861
T3. Anders Larson              70-66-72=208
T10. Zach Watterson          70-71-73=214
T30. Jameson Corbin         74-76-71=221
T35. Justin Begley              77-72-73=222
52. Hristo Yanakiev             73-80-80=233
 
Team Results
1. Florida Gulf Coast                   849 (-15)
2. Stetson                                    860 (-4)
3. EKU                                         861 (-3)
4. Lipscomb                                 863 (-1)
5. North Florida                            867 (+3)
6. Central Arkansas                     869 (+5)
T7. Jacksonville                           873 (+9)
T7. North Alabama                       873 (+9)
T9. Austin Peay                            877 (+13)
T9. Queens (N.C.)                       877 (+13)
11. West Georgia                         899 (+35)
12. Bellarmine                             910 (+46)