On April 3, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) men’s golf team clinched a narrow three-stroke victory at the SCIAC No. 2 Tournament. The Stags entered as clear favorites, ranked 4th nationally, but faced their greatest challenges against the relentless winds at Morongo Golf Club at Tukwet Canyon.
“It was blowing 30 to 50 miles an hour the first day, which is taxing physically and especially mentally,” captain Jack Rende CM ’26 said. “It was close the whole way through. We were the heavy favorites going into it, and we ended up winning by only a few shots, so it was closer than we wanted.”
After the first day ended in a tie with Cal Lutheran, CMS managed to gain a 6-9 shot lead midway through the second round. Things narrowed again toward the end before the Stags secured their three-stroke win.
The course contained a particularly challenging stretch from holes six through thirteen, where players hit shot after shot into heavy headwinds. First-year Samson Li CM ’29 described the mental toll of the tournament.
“After I teed off on the first hole, I realized that the conditions were going to be tough out there,” Li said. “It was just a matter of whether or not we could stay strong mentally and just grind it out, because everybody’s playing the same course in the same conditions.”
Additionally, Sebi Aliaga CM ’29 described the difficulty of that specific stretch of the course.
“There’s about a three-hour stretch where you’re just begging to make par,” Aliaga said. “You just got to take [it] shot by shot, not worry about what happened on the last shot, or what’s going to be ahead of you. You just got to stay in the moment.”
Despite this challenge, Aliaga came away feeling good about how the team responded. The emphasis on staying patient carried over into how the team approached the round as a whole, teaching a valuable lesson to carry forward.
“I think the team really did a good job of staying in it mentally and committing to battling through a hard day,” Aliaga said. “It was definitely difficult conditions, but I was really proud of the way the guys stayed committed to their game plans.”
What makes CMS’s run this season particularly notable is how young their roster is. First-years and sophomores form the majority of the lineup, and players like Li and Aliaga have been appearing near the top of leaderboards all spring. The Stags came into the weekend undefeated against West Coast competition and reached a program-best fifth-place finish at a national tournament in Georgia earlier this year, which secured their current ranking.
At the same time, the team continues to balance golf’s inherently individual nature with a strong emphasis on collective identity.
“Golf is super unique because it’s an individual sport,” Rende said. “So, it’s really helpful when you can grab onto a teammate and feed off of each other’s positive energy. When we’re playing on the course, it’s helpful to be competitive and build team [chemistry].”
This sense of connection has carried over into the course, helping the team stay composed in high-pressure moments throughout the season.
“Our goal has always been to win nationals,” Rende said. “But we’re trying to redefine success so it’s not just results-oriented. It’s about doing everything we can to give ourselves the best chance when we get there.”
CMS has now secured wins in both SCIAC tournaments this season and is well-positioned to win the conference title and compete at nationals. For Rende, in his final year, the end of the season carries extra weight as he reflects on his role in the team over the past four years.
“It’s just [about] trying to add a little bit of character and fun for the rest of the team and help everybody else feel as comfortable as possible,” Rende said. “For me, it’s hardest to balance the competition and the people management side of it.”
Under the grueling conditions at this tournament, CMS displayed resilience and promise. While the margins may have been slim, the tournament proved to be a valuable opportunity to build their confidence. Now, they can set their sights on the SCIAC Championship, set for late April in Santa Anita, and eventually the NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championships, looming in May.
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