This post was updated Feb. 6 at 11:36 p.m.

This weekend is an opportunity for the Bruins to return to the form they ended 2024 with.

No. 13 UCLA men’s golf will tee off Thursday at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate hosted at the Mauna Lani Resort Golf Club in Kona, Hawaii. The tournament – the Bruins’ second of the spring season – marks an opportunity for the team to bounce back after an uncharacteristic 12th-place finish at the Southwestern Invitational last week.

A bright spot for the team’s performance in its last outing was senior Pablo Ereño. Fueled by a round low 5-under 66 in round three, he finished with a 3-under 210 to secure fifth in the tournament.

Coach Armen Kirakossian said it was important to put the result of the Southwestern Invitational behind the team.

“Everyone’s eager to get back out there and have another chance at it and see if we can put ourselves in contention and have a great tournament,” Kirakossian said.

Last year in the Amer Ari Intercollegiate, UCLA set a 54-hole in relation to par program record by shooting 45-under 819. But despite setting a record, the Bruins’ score was only enough to tie for eighth place with Pepperdine and Oklahoma State.

“You have to shoot low scores here, and you’re definitely not going to do that if you’re playing tight,” Kirakossian said. “So you just got to allow yourself to be able to let all your talent and potential out.”

The invitational is known for bringing out the best talent in the country, and this year is no exception, with five top-10 teams joining the Bruins in Hawaii. These teams include SEC powerhouses No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Texas, No. 2 Arizona State, No. 9 Oklahoma State and defending Amer Ari Intercollegiate champions No. 6 North Carolina.

Additionally, the field includes members of the Big Ten in Oregon and Washington, two programs UCLA is familiar with from its time in the Pac-12.

Kirakossian said UCLA is looking forward to the opportunity to face off and compete with some of the best teams in the country and world.

“If you want to be the best, you got to beat the best,” Kirakossian said. “So that’s why we’re here.”

It’s not common for the Bruins to face off against international competitors in tournaments. This year, UCLA will have the chance to face Japanese universities in Osaka Gakuin and Waseda, who are sending their teams to compete.

With its tropical location, Hawaii will likely be affected by winds later this week.

“Those are the things our guys are starting to think about now, starting to prep for. We’re talking about regularly getting ready for those wind shots,” Kirakossian said. “That’s a big deal in Hawaii.”

The Bruins will begin the opportunity to improve their spring season play Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the Mauna Lani Resort Golf Club.