Men's Golf 9/7/2026 10:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Opens Season At Mules National

Central Oklahoma Plays 36 Holes Tuesday, 18 Wednesday In First Event Of Season

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Central Oklahoma begins the 2026-27 season Tuesday morning in The Mule at Mules National Golf Club.

The Bronchos will play 36 holes on Tuesday and 18 more on Wednesday in the season-opening event.

"We're ready to get going," UCO head men's golf coach Derrick Thompson said. "The guys are ready. We've played this tournament for the last few years and it's always a good one. It's a tough course and there are good teams here so we'll need to be on our game from the beginning."

Thompson has a five-man lineup of Nick Canales, Rhett Hughes, Bryant Polhill, Will Whorton, and Ty Hyatt. There are 19 teams in the field and will extra players for Central Missouri and Washburn, 100 total players competing.

Central Oklahoma won the team title in 2024 and 2025 with Canales taking the top individual honor in both years as well.

Canales enters his final season at Central Oklahoma as a three-time All-American. The reigning MIAA Player of the Year owns the best round in UCO history – a 62 he's shot twice – and his 71.69 career scoring average through 102 rounds of golf is the third best in school history.

Hughes earned All-MIAA and All-Region honors last season and is looking to do more in this his junior year. The Edmond native finished 12th in this event last year. Hughes averaged a 72.6 in 33 rounds of golf as a sophomore.

Polhill, also from Edmond, only played in six tournaments a year ago due to injury. But, he still managed to earn All-MIAA and All-Region honors. Polhill finished fifth at The Mule and also second at another fall event. He averaged a 71.1 through 18 rounds of golf last season.

Whorton will make is Central Oklahoma debut. The freshman from Norman, Oklahoma was a prep standout at Community Christian, where he posted a 70.8 scoring average. He helped his team win three consecutive state championships and was the 2025 individual state champion.

Hyatt competed in eight events last season and played 21 total rounds of golf. He posted a 74.5 scoring average for the season. Hyatt finished in the Top 20 three times including a season-best ninth at the MIAA Championships.

Central Oklahoma will play three tournaments in September and two in October for its five-event fall lineup. The Bronchos head to Allendale, Michigan for the Regional Preview at The Meadows Golf Course next week. UCO also travels to St. Joseph, Missouri for the annual Holiday Inn Express Invitational at St. Joseph Country Club on the last week of September.

Central hosts the annual Skip Wagnon Invitational at KickinBird Golf Club Oct. 5-6 and will wrap up the fall at the Newman Invitational Oct. 12-13 at Terradyne Country Club in Andover, Kansas.

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Players Mentioned

Nick Canales: Junior

Rhett Hughes: Sophomore

Ty Hyatt: Sophomore

Bryant Polhill: Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Nick Canales
: Junior

Rhett Hughes
: Sophomore

Ty Hyatt
: Sophomore

Bryant Polhill
: Sophomore