TOURNAMENT FACTS
Dates: Feb. 15–17, 2024
Venue: Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Location: Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i
Yardage (Par): 7,156 (72)
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Tee Times: 9:30 a.m. HDT shotgun each day
Live Scoring: SMART Golf
Host: Hawai‘i
Defending Team Champion: BYU (810)
Defending Co-Individual Champions: Sam Bennett, Texas A&M and Sampson Zheng, California (198)
TEEING OFF
The 47th edition of the John A. Burns Intercollegiate – the University of Hawai‘i’s marquee men’s golf tournament – will be contested on Feb. 15–17 at the Ocean Course at Hōkūala, a Jack Nicklaus Signature design on Kaua‘i. Over three days, twenty teams from nine athletic conferences will compete along the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in Hawai‘i.
TEAMS (20)
Arizona, Arkansas Little Rock, BYU, California, Fresno State, Georgia Southern, Grand Canyon, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, New Mexico, Saint Mary’s (CA), San Diego State, San Francisco, Texas A&M, UC Santa Barbara, Southern California (USC), UNLV, Utah, UTEP and Washington State.
14 of the 20 Burns’ teams are currently ranked in the top-100 of NCAA Division I (per Scoreboard), led by No. 10 Arizona.
The 2024 field includes seven past team champions who have won a combined 22 Burns’ titles. Defending champion BYU will seek their fifth Burns’ team title.
INDIVIDUALS
10 players in this year’s field are listed in the top-100 of the PGA TOUR University Rankings. California senior Sampson Zheng, the defending Burns’ co-individual champion, PING All-America Second Team and 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur runner-up, is the top player at No. 24.
California and New Mexico have both produced six Burns’ individual medalists.
VENUE
The Ocean Course at Hōkūala is part of Timbers Kaua‘i, a beautiful 450-acre resort property surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range.
EVENT HISTORY
Named in honor of the state of Hawai‘i’s former governor, “The Burns” allows America’s top-ranked programs to annually play against one another in the Aloha State.
Notable Burns’ individual champions who have won on the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour include Steve Pate (UCLA, 1983), Notah Begay (Stanford, 1995), Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996), Bo Van Pelt (Oklahoma State, 1997), Ryan Moore (UNLV, 2005) and Julian Suri (Duke, 2012).
Recent Burns’ alumni include PGA TOUR member, Beau Hossler (Texas, 2016), three-time All-American and Korn Ferry Tour member, Sam Choi (New Mexico, 2020) and 2023 U.S. Amateur champion and Korn Ferry Tour member, Sam Bennett (Texas A&M, 2023).
HONORING TAKANO
Bob Takano was the Hawai‘i Men’s Golf Coach from 1976 – 1982 who organized the inaugural John A. Burns Intercollegiate in 1977. He grew the tournament into the respected event that it is today, with top teams flying across the country to play. Takano passed away last year at age 89. His wife will carry on his legacy by speaking to all players before Wednesday’s practice round.
QUOTES
“On behalf of the island of Kaua‘i, Ocean Course at Hōkūala and Timbers Kaua‘i, it is a privilege to host this wonderful event founded by Coach Takano and now run by Coach Simpson,” said Tom Freestone, PGA General Manager, Ocean Course at Hōkūala. “Our staff and agronomy team are proud to produce first-rate tournament conditions for America’s best collegiate players.”
“It’s a great course for strategy,” said Hawai‘i Men’s Golf Head Coach and seven-time PGA TOUR winner, Scott Simpson. “The Ocean Course offers a great mix of holes to attack and holes to play it safe, with much of the challenge dependent upon the ever-changing winds.”
Simpson added, “One of the strengths of our team is that everyone’s capable of playing really good golf. Because the course is so beautiful and in great shape, we can attract many of the best teams in the country. Competing in tournaments like this is a great opportunity for all involved.”
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Tournament attendance is free for walking spectators. Parking is available on-site. The Ocean Course at Hōkūala is a five-minute drive from Lihue Airport (LIH), which offers over 40 daily flights.
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About Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Home to the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in the state of Hawai‘i, the Ocean Course was named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. The 18-hole golf course is part of Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, a private residential club which opened in 2018 on the island’s southeast coast. Timbers Kaua‘i sits on a 450-acre natural amphitheater and offers unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Timbers Kaua'i at Hōkūala
Located in the 450-acre Hōkūala resort community along the Pacific, Kaua‘i’s premier luxury resort and residence club combines tranquil Hawaiian living with Timbers Resorts’ signature luxury amenities and a personalized full-service concierge team. Timbers Kaua‘i boasts exceptional offerings for those visiting or looking to make paradise their home through luxury vacation rentals, one-of-a-kind deeded fractional and whole ownership real estate opportunities.
Amenities include the 18-hole award-winning Ocean Course at Hōkūala – Kaua‘i’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Course; The Farm at Hōkūala, a 16.5-acre organic farm and orchard; oceanfront dining at Hualani’s with “farm-to-fork” fine dining; a two-tiered infinity-edge pool overlooking the ocean, as well as a family pool and hot tub; spa services and wellness programs; 13 miles of accessible, lush trails; and easy access to Kalapaki Beach and Lihue Airport (LIH).
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company, providing services at 850-plus locations, including operational responsibility for 575-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses around the globe. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 35-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, and via The Turn Podcast.