Back to back to back.

UCLA men’s golf could break a school record for the third straight year at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate tournament held Thursday to Saturday. The Bruins will return to Mauna Lani Golf Course in Kona, Hawaii, having set program bests for a 54-hole score in their previous two visits to the course.

Last year at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate, the Bruins’ record-breaking score of 47-under 817 landed them in sixth place out of 20 teams.

“The scoring is just so low in this event that any kind of tightness or trying to work your way into the tournament just doesn’t work here,” coach Armen Kirakossian said. “You’ve got to get out of the blocks hot and get after it. And the only way to do that is to play loose and free.”

Sophomore Baylor Larrabee reiterated that remaining calm can be the difference between placing high or finishing low.

“If you’re able to keep comfortable and have fun and play free out there, you’re going to be in a great spot,” Larrabee said. “That was a big reason for my success last tournament.”

Larrabee placed third in UCLA’s last tournament – the Southwestern Invitational – shooting 3-under 207 at the event.

The Amer Ari Intercollegiate tournament has a history of bringing the best teams to compete, and this year is no different. The field features Big-12 representatives No. 16 Texas Tech, No. 7 Arizona State and No. 11 Oklahoma State, alongside ACC and SEC powerhouses No. 15 North Carolina, No. 5 Auburn, No. 6 Texas and No. 17 Georgia Tech. The field is rounded out by UCLA, Southern California rival No. 4 Pepperdine and defending champion No. 11 Oklahoma State.

This week’s travel tournament presents the unique opportunity for UCLA to also face foreign opponents. Osaka Gakuin – a Japanese university in its namesake city – will also be participating.

“It’s a really strong field, so you can tend to get a little nervous,” Kirakossian said. “You have to try to fight that urge, and try to let go from hole one.”

Weather forecasts predict temperatures in the low 80s with a slight chance of rain Saturday – the tournament’s last day of play.

Wind is not forecasted to play an integral role during the event, but with the course being close to the ocean, it is always something to keep in mind.

“Forecasts aren’t showing a lot of wind, but in Hawaii, that can change quickly, so we’re prepared,” Kirakossian said.

Larrabee will also be looking to break a record he set in the same tournament last year when he finished 10-under 206, setting his lowest 54-hole tournament score and coming in 28th place. Larrabee expressed his excitement and said he was feeling confident about returning to the course.

With strong preparation during practice this week and confidence built from the last two trips to Hawaii, the Bruins can pick up solid results and set new records.

“We’re going to go into the tournament feeling really comfortable,” Larrabee said. “We’re excited to tee up again.”