One of the Strongest Fields in Collegiate Golf Set To Take On The North Course
Kohala Coast, Hawai`i – For the second year in a row, Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection will be the host venue for the Amer Ari Invitational, February 6-8, 2025. Hosted by the University of Hawai`i at Hilo and the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, the Ameri Ari Invitational is a 54-hole stroke play competition played on Mauna Lani’s award-winning North Course. The North Course was recently ranked No. 87 on Golfweek’s listing of Top 200 Resort Courses in North America.
2024 was the first year the Amer Ari Invitational was played at Mauna Lani after moving from other Kohala Coast host venues. The North Carolina Tarheels captured the team title with a three-round total of 796 (-68). On the individual side, Arizona State’s Wenyi Ding set the collegiate scoring record as the first golfer to break 190 in a 54-hole collegiate event after shooting 63-64-62 for a three-round total of 189. His 10-under-par 62 in the final round also tied the lowest 18-hole score in Sun Devil Golf history. The previous Sun Devil record was 21-under, 192, set by Jon Rahm at the program’s home tournament.
“The University of Hawai`i at Hilo’s Men’s Golf Team is honored once again to host some of the top Division I schools at the annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate,” said University of Hawai`i Hilo Men’s Golf Coach Earl Tamiya. “We are thankful to return to the top ranked Mauna North Course for the second year and truly appreciate the support through the last 35 years from all of the resorts on the Kohala Coast for hosting the golf or housing our invited athletes. This event is more than just four days of top-level golf, it is an opportunity for our visiting participants to enjoy all our island has to offer including built in cultural experiences they will cherish for a lifetime.”
The 2025 Amer Ari Invitational field features many of the top college golf programs in the nation, including Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Stanford, Pepperdine, the University of Texas and the University of Washington. For the first time ever, this year’s event also features two teams from Japan universities, Oaska Gakuin and Waseda University making this a truly international field.
In the event’s 34-year history many future PGA TOUR and LIV Golf stars have competed in the event to include but not limited to: Jordan Speith, Matt Kuchar, Matthew Wolff, Anthony Kim, Cameron Tringale, Aaron Wise, and David Puig.
“Our entire team here at Mauna Lani is so excited to host the top collegiate players in the world for the Amer Ari Invitational,” said Mauna Lani Golf & Sports Club General Manager Ross Birch. “We have been told that this is the fourth strongest field in amateur golf and all are excited to welcome this stout field to our stunning North Course and the Kohala Coast.”
Amer Ari Invitational Schedule of Events:
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
12:30 PM Practice round – Shotgun start
Thursday, February 6, 2025
7:30 AM First Round – Shotgun start
Friday, February 7, 2025
7:30 AM Second Round – Shotgun start
Saturday, February 8, 2025
7:30 AM Final Round – Shotgun start
1:30 PM Awards Ceremony
Spectators are welcome to attend all rounds. Admission is complimentary.
Teams in the 2025 field include:
- Arizona State
- Pepperdine
- UC Davis
- Auburn
- Georgia Tech
- Oregon State
- Stanford
- UCLA
- UH Manoa
- University of North Carolina
- University of Oregon
- University of Pacific
- University of Texas
- University of Washington
- San Jose State
- Texas Tech
- Oklahoma St.
- UH Hilo
- Oaska Gakuin
- Waseda University
Tournament History:
Year Winning Team Individual Medalist
2024 North Carolina Wenyi Ding, Arizona State
2023 Cancelled
2022 Oklahoma State Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra
2021 Arizona State David Puig, Arizona State
2020 Pepperdine William Mouw, Pepperdine
2019 Oklahoma State Matthew Wolff, Oklahoma State
2018 Oklahoma State Justin Suh, USC
2017 Texas Tech Fredrik Nilehn, Texas Tech
2016 USC Aaron Wise, Oregon
2015 Arizona State Cheung-Tsu Pan, Washington
2014 Oklahoma State Jordan Niebrugge, Oklahoma State
2013 UCLA Dominic Bozzelli, Auburn
2012 Texas Jeffery Kang, USC
2011 Oklahoma State Daniel Miernicki, Oregon
2010 USC Nick Taylor, Washington
2009 Stanford Jesper Kennegard, Arizona State
2008 Oklahoma Jonathan Moore, Oklahoma State
2007 Georgia Tech Cameron Tringale, Georgia Tech
2006 Oklahoma State Tyler Leon, Oklahoma State
2005 Georgia Tech Anthony Kim, Oklahoma
2004 UCLA Adam Meyer, TCU
2003 Georgia Tech Troy Matteson, Georgia Tech
2002 Texas Sprague Kolp, Nevado-Reno
2001 Georgia Tech Matt Kuchar, Georgia Tech Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech
2000 Georgia Tech Matt Kuchar, Georgia Tech Carlton Forrester, Georgia Tech
1999 UNLV James Watt, Nevada-Reno
1998 UNLV Bill Lunde, UNLV
1997 Oklahoma State Jim Skinner, SMU
1996 Oklahoma State Chris Hanell, Arizona State
1995 Arizona State Notah Begay, Stanford
1994 Arkansas Todd Dempsey, Arizona State
1993 UNLV Alan Bratton, Oklahoma State
1992 Oklahoma State Craig Hainline, Oklahoma State
For more information on Mauna Lani Golf, visit www.maunalanigolf.com or call 808-885-6655.
About Mauna Lani Golf
Since opening in 1981, the Mauna Lani golf courses have collected numerous “best courses you can play” awards from Golfweek, Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine. Mauna Lani’s award-winning South Course formerly hosted the prestigious Hawai`i State Open and was the site of the Senior Skins Game from 1990 to 2000, hosting many of golf’s greats, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriquez, and Gary Player. Recently the Mauna Lani South Course as the ‘No. 1 Golf Course in the U.S.’ by users of GolfPass, the digital platform that brings golfers together with the best golf courses, instruction, entertainment, travel information. GolfPass also recognized Mauna Lani’s South Course as the No. 1 golf course in Hawai`i and the North Course the No. 11 in the Aloha State. The rankings were determined from more than 315,000 ratings and reviews in 2022.
About Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
Situated along the sun-drenched Kohala Coast on sacred land marked by royal fishponds, natural lava plains, lush tropical gardens and alluring beaches, Mauna Lani — meaning “mountain reaching heaven” — is an inspiring spiritual haven defining a new era of experiential luxury on the Island of Hawai`i. Among Travel + Leisure’s Top 500 Hotels in the World as well as Top 15 Beach Resorts in the U.S., Mauna Lani underwent a complete reimagination in January of 2020. Contemporary accommodations, oceanfront dining at CanoeHouse, three distinct pools, a signature spa and wellness haven including an on-site goop store, Kainalu Ocean Sports and Living Culture programs, and an interactive Holoholo Kids Crew set the tone for enriching and transformational experiences. For more information on Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection please visit www.aubergeresorts.com/maunalani
Media Contacts:
Bacchus Agency
Rob Myers
480.477.0506
