UCLA men’s golf to take on The Prestige following 2-week break
Freshman Pablo Ereño Perez walks on the course of the Southwestern Invitational. Ereño Perez and UCLA men’s golf will take on The Prestige from Monday to Wednesday before playing at the Southern Highlands Collegiate four days later. (Courtesy of Eric Hurd/UCLA Athletics)
MEN’S GOLF
The Prestige
Monday to Wednesday
Greg Norman Course at PGA West
By Chelsea Healy
Feb. 21, 2022 9:20 a.m.
The Bruins are returning to the course after a two-week break.
After finishing in eighth place at the Amer Ari Invitational on Feb. 5, UCLA men’s golf will compete at The Prestige from Monday to Wednesday in La Quinta, California. The Prestige will take place at the Greg Norman Course at PGA West and feature the largest playing field the Bruins have faced at this point in the season.
Among the 24-team slate are four Pac-12 opponents and No. 5 Pepperdine, the 2021 NCAA champion. Following the Amer Ari Invitational, freshman Pablo Ereño Perez said the blue and gold are trending upward because of the stakes this winter season holds.
“We are in a good direction and playing good lately,” Ereño Perez said. “This is an important year because it’s the last year with our coach and we have a lot of seniors on our team.”
Coach Derek Freeman said the Southwestern Invitational and the Amer Ari Invitational – the Bruins’ two previous tournaments – gave his team much needed experience before the two-week hiatus.
“We have a little break here and have two back-to-back events coming up, so I think our guys are in a good position. They all know what they need to work on,” Freeman said. “We have to play well, and if we don’t, then the postseason is on the line, so we have to make sure the guys understand that.”
Following the conclusion of The Prestige, UCLA will compete at the Southern Highlands Collegiate beginning Sunday, marking a stretch of two tournament appearances within the span of five days.
Redshirt sophomore Alvaro Mueller-Baumgart Lucena said he has been improving in every tournament he plays.
“The more I play, the more confident I feel,” Mueller-Baumgart Lucena said. “My game is getting better.”
Mueller-Baumgart Lucena finished in a tie for 37th place at the Southwestern Invitational and followed up that performance at the Amer Ari Invitational by finishing tied for 23rd place.
In the last two tournaments, the Bruins faced windy conditions at the Southwestern Invitational and difficult greens at the Amer Ari Invitational, according to Ereño Perez.
With 18-mph winds forecasted to hit La Quinta, California, this week, the tournament will start Monday with 18-hole rounds on all three days.
Freeman said he would be evaluating everyone’s game during the break.
“We will build some good practice plans, training and qualifying,” Freeman said. “We will be ready to go when it’s time.”
