The SFU Men's Golf team started the 2025-26 season on a strong note with a 4th-place finish at the Chico State Invitational, hosted at Peach Tree Golf Club in Marysville, California. The 6,900-yard, par-72 course challenged players with its tight, tree-lined fairways and undulating greens.
SFU got off to a slow start in the opening round, carding a team score of 290 (+2) to sit in 11th place out of 14 teams. But as the California heat rose to 35°C in the afternoon, so did the Red Leafs. In round two, SFU caught fire with a blistering team score of 275 (-13), tied for the second-lowest single-round score in program history since joining the NCAA.
Leading the charge were juniors Justin Bjornson and Max Corcoran, each firing rounds of 67 (-5). Both made six birdies and one bogey on route to matching scores. Senior Junsu (Danny) Im also went low with a 69 (-3), while freshman Liam Jackes capped off the round in style, making eagle on his final hole to shoot an even-par 72.
On the final day, SFU knew it would take something extraordinary to chase down host and eventual champion Chico State. While they fell short of the win, the Red Leafs delivered another memorable performance. Danny Im went bogey-free en route to a stunning 65 (-7), tied for the second-lowest round in program history. Freshman Jackes impressed again with a 68 (-4), while Bjornson (-1, 71) and Brendan O'Brien (E, 72) rounded out the scoring.
The Red Leafs closed the tournament at 842 (-22), marking the second-lowest 54-hole team score in SFU Men's Golf history. Chico State claimed the title with a remarkable 823 (-41).
When asked abou the team's performance, Head Coach Krysta Schaus shared, "I'm very proud of how our team carried themselves this week. This was an unusually early start for us, so it was great to see how quickly we locked in and put up some historic numbers."
Individually, Danny Im finished in 3rd place just two strokes behind Chico's Vineet Vallamsetty (-13). His 54-hole total of 205 (-11) ranks as the second-lowest in program history. Along the way, he played the par-4s at -6, tallied 15 birdies, and showcased the maturity and composure of a veteran 4th year player.
SFU now returns home for a short break before heading back on the road for back-to-back events at St. Martin's and Western Washington University.
