CLAREMORE, Okla. – Rogers State men's golf begins its fall season on Sept. 8-9 at The Mule, located at Mules National Golf Club in Warrensburg, Missouri. The tournament will start on Tuesday with a tee time set for 8:30 a.m.
PRESEASON REPORT
The Hillcats arrived on campus in late August and quickly began practice and qualifying. RSU returns six players from last season and has added five newcomers, who have already shown flashes in their first weeks on campus.
When asked about the preseason, head coach
Steve Brown commented, "The team looks good. We have had our first two qualifying rounds.
Callum Brown played really well; he shot three under and two under. We have quite a few other guys right near the top. In the first round at Bailey, a freshman shot plus one. They don't have a lot of experience on that course since it's fairly new for them, and they're not used to playing or putting on Bermuda grass. Overall, I feel good about what I've seen so far. It's crazy to think we're right back at it with The Mule coming up Tuesday."
SCHEDULE PREVIEW
*SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN THE SPRING*
The fall golf season kicks off on Sept. 8-9 at The Mule in Warrensburg, Missouri. The Cats finished 19
th last year at The Mule with a team tally of 901 (+26).
"The Mule is always an interesting course because there are six par-threes, and none of them are gimmies," Brown said. "They're all good holes, and it's a really strong field. Last year, we didn't play well there. We haven't had what I would call a good result since we won the tournament in 2022. If we can finish in the top eight or top six, I think that would definitely show our program is moving in a better direction and give us some confidence heading into the rest of the fall season."
Following that, RSU will compete in the NSU Classic on Sept. 21-22 in Muskogee. Last year,
Kobsak Phisitbuntoon had an impressive tournament, tying for fifth place with a score of eight under par over 54 holes, marking the fifth-best performance in the program's history.
"It's great to play locally early in the season," Brown stated on playing at the Muskogee Golf Course. "That's always nice, and hopefully, we'll see some of the Hillcat faithful there watching. It's a really good course. Historically, we've done pretty well there. We have a familiarity with that type of course, you know, with Bermuda fairways and all. Their greens are different from ours over here at Heritage, but the terrain is similar, so there's definitely a more comfortable feeling on that golf course."
The next week, the Hillcats will head to St. Joseph, Missouri, for the MWSU Holiday Inn Express Invitational, their first appearance in St. Joseph since 2024. Elliot-Han Monteremal led RSU in that tournament with a tie for fifth place after shooting 207 (+6).
On Oct. 12-13, the team will travel to Andover, Kansas, for the Newman Fall Invitational. RSU finished fifth at this event last year, with
Aiden Deng and Phisitbuntoon both tying for 12th.
The fall season will conclude with the Tulsa Cup on Oct. 26-27 at Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow. Last season, RSU's team finished 10th, while the second team tied for 12th.
Miguel Mora, playing for the second team, achieved a career-best finish by tying for eighth with a three-round score of 213 (-3).
On what makes the Tulsa Cup so special, Brown remarked, "We have a great sponsor with BancFirst, which really helps us out. We're able to provide gifts for all the players and coaches. Our graphic designer here on campus did a fantastic job with the Tulsa Cup logo; it's catchy. The Renaissance Marriott property in Tulsa is our host hotel, and they always do a great job
Last year, a kid from another team told me it felt like a national championship, which is always nice. We want to make it a fun event—a competitive one that they'll remember, with gifts and everything. Indian Springs also does a great job, allowing us to set up the course as we want. The food there is fantastic.
I'm just trying to make it enjoyable. It's the end of the year; everyone's been working hard for two or three months, and we want to create a good, fun event."
RSU will open the spring season at the Spring Bulldog Clash on Feb. 22-23 at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Last year,
Dylan Ros made history by recording the program's first hole-in-one during tournament play in the second round.
On March 7-9, Rogers State will host the 12th Annual Hillcat Classic at Bailey Ranch Golf Club in Owasso. The team aims to improve on its third-place finish from last spring.
Brown remarked on the Hillcat Classic, stating, "That's a fun one because, instead of the typical tournament format where teams play five and count four scores, we play six and count four, with each player paired with a teammate. This format is quite unusual; I don't know of any other tournament that does it this way. It also benefits coaches—rather than managing five or six groups, they only oversee three. This approach enhances the experience for players; having a teammate present allows for conversation and banter."
The regular season will conclude on April 5-6 at the MIAA Designated Tournament, hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma at The Territory Golf and Country Club in Duncan.
Postseason play begins April 19-21 at Jefferson City Country Club in Jefferson City, Missouri, for the MIAA Championships.
The NCAA Central/Midwest Region Championships are scheduled for May 6-8 at The Meadows at Grand Valley State in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by the NCAA National Championships from May 18-21 at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
In the 2025-26 season, the Hillcats finished tied for 10th place at the MIAA Championship, held at Jefferson City Country Club. Sophomore
Callum Brown and freshman Phisitbuntoon led the team, both finishing with a three-round total of 227 (+11) to tie for 29th.
In the MIAA Preseason Coaches' poll, RSU was picked to finish 10th, receiving 14 points.
"The central teams are always tough to compete with in the conference," Brown said, referring to Central Oklahoma and Central Missouri. "Everybody's just going to try to beat them. We're definitely going to be the underdogs. We did not fare well last season, and I know that when they look at our team, they'll see we have five freshmen. So, we will definitely be the underdogs—the Dark Horse."
Central Oklahoma secured the top spot in the preseason poll with 77 points and five first-place votes. Washburn followed in second place with 71 points and three first-place votes, while Central Missouri ranked third with 69 points and the remaining two first-place votes. Missouri Western was fourth with 51 points, and Arkansas-Fort Smith rounded out the top five with 44 points.
MEET COACH BROWN
Brown wrapped up his ninth season as the Rogers State head men's golf coach in the spring of 2026.
This past season, the Hillcats recorded two top-five finishes, highlighted by a third-place finish at the windy Hillcat Classic, where they posted a three-under-par opening round at Bailey Ranch Golf Club. Phisitbuntoon delivered a standout performance in the fall with an eight-under-par total at the NSU Classic, marking the fifth-best finish in school history for the 54-hole tournament. Ros made history by recording the program's first hole-in-one in tournament play at the Spring Bulldog Clash in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Additionally, senior
Aiden Deng, sophomore Mora and Ros were named Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars, while 10 student-athletes earned MIAA Academic Honors.
In the 2024-25 season, Coach Brown led the Hillcats to four top-10 finishes, including team titles at the Tulsa Cup and Hillcat Classic. At the Hillcat Classic, RSU achieved an impressive five-under-par score of 847, highlighted by Elliot-Han Monteremal's individual title at five under par. Monteremal was named to the Ping All-Central Region and All-MIAA teams, finishing the season with two individual titles and an average round score of 71.8. He concluded his remarkable career with a 27th-place finish at the NCAA Midwest/Central Region Championship after receiving an at-large bid. Additionally, Kaden Armstrong, Monteremal and Jack Roche earned Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors, while the team received the PLATFORM Golf Team Academic Award with a cumulative GPA of 3.57.
In 2023-24, Brown coached RSU back to the NCAA Midwest/Central Region Championship as a team, with Elliot-Han Monteremal earning an individual bid to the NCAA National Championship. Monteremal was the first golfer since Luke Palmowski in 2021 to advance to the final site. During the regular season, the Hillcats captured the team title at the Hillcat Classic and had five other top three finishes. They finished in fourth place at the MIAA Championships.
In 2022-23, Brown guided his team to the third-straight season with at least one individual earning a bid to the NCAA Central/Midwest Regional Championships, with Daniel Robles Delval making his second-straight appearance in the postseason. During the regular season the Hillcats captured one team title at the Hillcat Classic and had two other top 5 finishes.
In 2021-22, Brown guided the Hillcats to their first MIAA Regular Season and Tournament Championships after winning a record-breaking eight-straight tournaments, including the MIAA Tournament. They capped of the season with their first-team appearance in the NCAA Regionals since 2017-18.
Brown coached an award-winning team headlined by Luke Palmowski, who took home his second All-American honor and MIAA Player of the Year. Daniel Robles earned MIAA Freshman of the Year and First Team All-MIAA Honors. Aidan Gavey was named All-Region and First Team All-MIAA. Gonzalo Chaves also earned First Team All-MIAA honors.
In 2020-21, Brown led RSU to five finishes in the top three, as well as leading individual Luke Palmowski to an MIAA Championship Individual title and a trip to the NCAA National Championships.
Palmowski went on to claim two individual victories en route to an All-American season for the navy and red.
In 2020, Brown guided the Hillcats to a victory and two runner-up finishes in three tournaments before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hillcats claimed a team victory at the Jack Brown Memorial in Laredo, Texas, in early February. Rogers State also took second at the Battle at Hilton Head and finished as runners-up at the LCU Chap Classic in Lubbock, Texas. The Hillcats were averaging 1.1 strokes over par per round in 2020, one of the top scoring averages in Division II.
The Hillcats had two individual victories in 2019-20 as well, with Edwin Blomander starting off the year with a win in the 100-golfer field at the 21st Annual NSU Golf Classic. Under Brown's guidance, Blomander shot three rounds in the 60s and finished at -10. Freshman Nico Horder also picked up a victory, claiming medalist honors at the Jack Brown Memorial and finishing with a team low for the season at -12.
Luke Palmowski also had a strong year under Brown, finishing with under-par rounds in 77.8 percent of his rounds for the season, best on the team. In total, Hillcat golfers finished the year with 30 rounds under par, and five golfers had rounds in the 60s, with Horder and Blomander matching for a season-low 66. Palmowski and Blomander each earned MIAA Athlete of the Week honors.
Brown made an immediate splash with the Hillcats, guiding the men's golf program to its first-ever Heartland Conference championship in 2018 and an appearance in the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship.
The Hillcats captured the league title with a school record 54-hole tournament record of 845 to win by one shot. RSU advanced to regional competition of the 2018 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship for the first team since becoming full members of NCAA Division II.
Under Brown's watchful eye, Luke Palmowski was named the Heartland Conference Freshman of the Year in 2018 and has been named to the All-Heartland Conference team both seasons.
Brown came to RSU after serving six years as an assistant men's coach at Chico State in Chico, California. Brown was a key component to the coaching staff as he helped the Wildcats reach four NCAA Championship finals in his six seasons. Chico State finished as the NCAA Division II national runner-up in 2011-12. Brown was instrumental in the development of six All-Americans in his six years at the program. He developed practice drills and assisted with organization and operations of the men's golf program. Brown also orchestrated fundraising events and increased support and access for student-athletes at area courses in northern California.
Brown's arrival to College Hill came with more than three decades of experience in golf as a player, coach, instructor and entrepreneur in northern California. Brown served as the owner and general manager of Skyway Golf Park at Chico State for more than 20 years. He mentored numerous golfers and donated considerable time and resources to charities and golf programs to promote the sport. Brown was instrumental in improving Chico State's practice facility, creating a new driving range for the team's use at Skyway Golf Park.
Before his time at Chico State, Brown was an assistant coach for the women's program at Butte College in Oroville, California.
Brown earned a bachelor's degree in social science from Chico State and played one season for the Wildcats. Brown also played two seasons of collegiate golf at Butte College before his move to Chico State.
MEET THE TEAM: RETURNERS
The Hillcats will welcome back six players from last season.
Ross is the lone senior on the roster and will look to make an impact for the Red and Navy this season. A native of Westpunt, Aruba, Ross competed in 10 tournaments during his junior campaign. He made history at the Spring Bulldog Clash (26
th), becoming the first player to record a hole-in-one during competition play in round two on hole six at the Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. Notably, Ross finished 15th at the Newman 25 Fall Invitational, 16th at the Hillcat Classic and 47th at the MIAA Championship. He finished the year with a scoring average of 75.00 after 30 rounds.
"I think Dylan is going to have a good season for us after a solid show last year," Brown said. "He looks stronger and appears to have better control of his game. Mentally, he seems more disciplined. I expect him to be a strong player and a good leader as well."
Brown returns for his junior season on the Hill. The native of Durham, England, also competed in 10 tournaments last season, achieving his best finish of 13th place at the 2026 Arkansas Collegiate. He had notable performances at the Spring Bulldog Clash (38th), the Hillcat Classic (26th) and the MIAA Championship (29th), where he tied with Phisitbuntoon, finishing with a team-leading three-round score of 227 (+11). Brown concluded his sophomore season with a scoring average of 75.76 over 30 total rounds.
Mora returns for his junior season in Claremore. The native of Gijón, Spain, competed in six tournaments last season. Mora had a standout performance at the Tulsa Cup in his season debut, tying for eighth with a three-round total of 213 (-3). He also finished 14th at the Hillcat Classic at the Bailey Ranch Golf Course. Mora's scoring average was 75.72 after 18 rounds.
"Callum and Miguel are great ball strikers," Brown said of the two sophomores. "They have excellent swings. Probably neither of them is satisfied with last year's results. For those two, it's really about making better decisions on the golf course. It's definitely not physical for them—they're both strong players. It's about having the right game plan and strategy, and part of my job is to assist them with that. If they're not making the right choices, then that's on me."
Phisitbuntoon is set for his second season on the Hill after a strong freshman campaign. The native of Chiang Rai, Thailand, was electric at the NSU Men's Classic, where he finished tied for fifth with a total score of 205 (-8). His eight-under-par total over the 54-hole tournament ranks as the fifth-best in school history. Phisitbuntoon tied with Brown for 29
th with a team-leading three-round score of 227 (+11) at the MIAA Championships. Among starters, he finished with a team-leading scoring average of 74.70 over 33 rounds.
"He is definitely stronger than he was last season," Brown commented on Phisitbuntoon. "One of his goals was to get stronger so he could hit his drives farther and have fewer clubs into the greens. Last year, he was a really good player. He hits it straight and generally where he wants, but during some tournaments, other players would have eight or nine irons into the green while he was left with six or seven irons. That's a significant difference because he can probably hit his nine iron 10 to 15 feet closer to the pin than his seven iron. This improvement will lead to more birdies, and we saw that in his first round of qualifying when he shot four under par."
Ben Field II returns for his second season on the Hill. The Owasso native competed in two tournaments last fall, finishing 25th at the Tulsa Cup and 43rd at the Newman 25 Fall Invitational.
Thomas Richardson is back for his sophomore season. The Liverpool, England, native played in two tournaments last season, finishing 104
th at The Mule and 38
th at the Tulsa Cup.
When asked about Richardson and Field II, Brown said, "Thomas has really worked hard. He struggled last year and admits it, but he's put in the effort, and his game looks good. He had a couple of missteps in qualifying, but overall, he looks really good. Ben also looks strong and has shown improvement over the summer. He put in some good rounds last year, and I look forward to seeing his progress this season."
MEET THE TEAM: NEWCOMERS
Five freshmen will compete in their first year at Rogers State.
"With the freshmen, it's kind of wide open," Brown said about the five newcomers. "They're all doing well. They've had some good rounds. They tend to be a little more aggressive when they should probably be aiming for the middle of the green, but that's fine. As long as we keep learning, they'll be okay. Each of them is bringing something different to the team, and they all have a good purpose."
Tate Dunlap is a freshman business major this season after a successful tenure at Claremore High School. He had an average score of 74.0 and helped the Zebras to the 2025 Oklahoma 5A Golf Team State Champions. Dunlap also secured three individual high school wins and was named to the All-State Golf team and the Superintendent's Honor Roll.
Lautaro Ortiz is a freshman business administration student-athlete from Cordoba, Argentina. Ortiz competed at the club level for Valle Golf Club.
Max Ricart joins the program from Barcelona, Spain, and is majoring in business management. The freshman competed at the club level at RCGEPrat.
Caden Thompson is a freshman finance major from Inola, Oklahoma. He lettered in both golf and basketball for the Longhorns, achieving five career wins in golf and scoring 1,250 points in basketball. Thompson is a three-time Academic State Champion and earned All-State honors.
Travis Weast is a freshman nursing major from Inola. He excelled both academically and athletically for the Longhorns, achieving a hole-in-one at the regional golf tournament and finishing with a score of -4 to win the event in his senior year. A four-time state qualifier and three-time Academic State Champion, he was also selected for the All-Tournament Team at both the Jerry Oquin Tournament and the Old Fort Classic. Throughout his high school career, Weast won five tournaments and was named All-State.
FINAL WORDS FROM COACH BROWN
"If people knew the team practices at Heritage on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5, they would want to come out and meet these guys. They all have great personalities and are such nice young men. You couldn't help but want to support them. You'd want to go watch them at Indian Springs in October or at Bailey in March. They're a really fun group, very talented, and they come from all over the world. They genuinely enjoy meeting people. So, if anyone reading this article ever wants to meet the team, just shoot me an email or call me, and I'll arrange it. They would enjoy it very much."
