Duke Men's Golf Climbs into Top 25; Kim Rises to No. 2 Nationally
10/30/2025 11:46:00 AM | Men's Golf
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DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke men's golf team climbed into the Scoreboard Top 25 NCAA Division I rankings after closing the fall campaign with a runner-up performance at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate, while junior Bryan Kim vaulted to No. 2 nationally following his second individual title of the season.
The Blue Devils jumped from No. 29 to No. 25 in the latest rankings released Oct. 29, capping a fall slate that featured four top-five team finishes in five tournaments, including a pair of runner-up efforts and a victory in the Rod Myers Invitational to open the Bob Heintz era as Duke's head coach.
"Anytime you play five events and you're in contention to win three out of the five at some point in the final round, that's solid and definitely a positive jumping off point for the spring," Heintz said. "It gives the guys optimism and reason to work hard in the offseason, knowing that we did play well, but we all feel like there are other things we can accomplish going forward."
Fall Highlights
At the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate (Oct. 24–26), Duke bettered seven teams ranked in the top 30 heading into the event. The Blue Devils' opening-round 277 (-11) marked their best score relative to par this season, fueling a runner-up team finish behind top-ranked Virginia.
Earlier in October, the Blue Devils shared second place at The Bryson Invitational (Oct. 13–15), where senior Ethan Evans tied for second at 204 (-12) and Kim placed fourth at 205 (-11). Duke's 841 (-23) team total was its best score relative to par during the fall campaign.
The Blue Devils opened the season in dominant fashion by capturing the team title at the 15th annual Rod Myers Invitational (Sept. 5–7) at Duke University Golf Club. Duke posted a three-round score of 844 (-20) to finish nine strokes clear of runner-up UNCW (853, -11), marking the program's second-best 54-hole total in the 15-year history of the event and its best since 2017 (-22).
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Bryan Kim (photo by Todd Drexler)Kim's Breakout Fall
Kim entered the 2025–26 season with a career scoring average of 72.01 and three top-five finishes in 25 collegiate events. Through five tournaments this fall, the Brookeville, Maryland, native has achieved an average score of 68.87, while producing four top-five finishes and two individual victories. He recorded under-par rounds in 13 of 15 trips around the course, including 10 scores in the 60s, and leads the team with 70 birdies and four eagles.
After placing second at the Rod Myers Invitational with a 7-under 209, Kim tied a Duke record with a 54-hole total of 197 (-16) to earn his first career medalist honor at the Bryan Bros Collegiate (Sept. 28–29). He followed that performance with an 11-under 205 at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate to secure his second win of the season, defeating a field that featured four of the nation's top five ranked golfers.
"It's a culmination of a lot of great habits and work that he's put in, and his continuing growth in his self-confidence," Heintz said about Kim's fall success. "He just genuinely believes, when he gets to the course every day, that things are going to go well because of all the work that he's put in and the thought that he's given to it and the self-reflection. He's become a very mature golfer, and he's acting like a professional in a lot of ways, so his results are just starting to reflect that.
"His putting has improved over the past 12 to 18 months, and I think that makes him feel like he doesn't have to hit the ball perfectly every day, even though he's known as an amazing ball striker. The improvements he's made in short game and putting give him some peace of mind that he doesn't have to be perfect with the thing that he's known for, and he's turned into just a very, very solid, well-rounded player."
Coaching Impact
Heintz also credited new assistant coach Daniel Bowden for his role in Duke's strong start.
"Coach Bowden, since we've hired him, has been tireless," Heintz said. "Some of the parents have even commented how he'll jog from one player to another on the golf course during a tournament to just get there and be as much help as possible at all times. And I think he deserves some credit for some of the awesome coaching he's done over this semester. He's been outstanding and brought a really nice energy level to the team."
Looking Ahead
The Blue Devils will resume competition in February to begin the spring portion of their 2025–26 schedule, which features a slate of nationally competitive tournaments leading up to the ACC Championship and NCAA postseason play. With momentum from a productive fall and a roster blending veteran leadership and emerging talent, Duke aims to build on its strong foundation and continue its climb among the nation's elite programs.
For more information on Duke men's golf, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching @DukeMGOLF.
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