Roadrunners Test Themselves Against Nation’s Best at The Prestige

The College of the Desert men's golf team stepped onto one of the biggest stages in collegiate golf this week, competing at The Prestige, one of the premier NCAA Division I events in the country.

Hosted by Stanford University and University of California, Davis, The Prestige brought together many of the nation's top Division I programs for a three-day showcase across multiple Coachella Valley venues. College of the Desert was the lone community college represented in the field.

The team competition was contested at PGA West, while the individual event was held at Terra Lago Golf Course. The Roadrunners competed in the individual portion of the event, squaring off against elite Division I talent from across the country.

The team title was captured by host Stanford University, while the individual championship went to a player from the University of Oregon.

Despite facing nationally ranked competition, the Roadrunners more than held their own, especially through two rounds before challenging winds made scoring conditions extremely difficult in the final round.

Montgomery Leads the Way

Sophomore Mason Montgomery (Palm Desert H.S.) delivered one of his most consistent performances of the season. He opened with back-to-back 1-over 73s, both among his best rounds this year, before closing with an 82. Montgomery finished at 228 over 54 holes, tying for 20th overall against a stacked Division I field.

Strong Depth Across the Lineup

Sophomore Sinjin Armstrong (La Quinta H.S.) improved dramatically from round one to round two, carding a 6-over 78 before dropping four strokes with a 2-over 74, his second-best round of the season. He closed with an 81 to finish at 233, tying for 27th.

Sophomore Braxton McDonald (Coldstream, BC – Kalamalka Secondary) matched his season-best effort with consecutive 3-over 75s in the first two rounds. An 84 in the final round brought his total to 234, tying him for 30th.

Sophomore Linus Rindestad Utter (Handen, SWE – Fredrika Bremergymnasiet) opened with an 80 before shaving four strokes in round two with a 4-over 76. He paced the Roadrunners in the final round with a 6-over 78, finishing at 234 to tie for 30th alongside McDonald.

Sophomore Logan Marra (Palm Desert H.S.) showed resilience after an opening-round 86, bouncing back with an impressive 4-over 76 in round two, a 10-stroke improvement. He added an 82 in the final round to place 42nd at 244.

Freshman Braxten Ziegenbusch (Henry Harriman H.S., UT) made his season debut, posting rounds of 79 and 77 before closing with a 90. He finished 44th overall at 246.

Battling the Elements

The final round proved to be a true test, as high winds created challenging conditions and inflated scores across the field. Competing head-to-head with Division I programs under those circumstances provided invaluable experience for the Roadrunners as they continue their spring campaign.

Up Next

College of the Desert returns to action at another NCAA event, the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate, hosted at The Classic Club in Palm Desert. The three-day tournament begins Monday, February 23.

Competing as the only community college in one of the nation's most prestigious collegiate events, the Roadrunners demonstrated both poise and progress against the highest level of competition, a strong statement as the Conference schedule approaches.

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For additional information, please contact the COD Sports Information Office at 760.423.6641.

Information & Story provided by COD Sports Information. Photo by Darbie Catalfamo Photography.