CARLSBAD, Calif. — Cameron Tankersley got things rolling fast Friday when the No. 9 Ole Miss men’s golf team teed it up for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Championship at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
The Tennessee native birdied two holes in a row right out of the gate, one of the brightest spots of the day for Ole Miss as the Rebs posted a team score of 303 (+15) and found themselves tied for 28th place after 18 holes.
It wasn’t the start Ole Miss was hoping for in terms of the team total, but there’s still plenty of golf left to play.
The Rebels head into Saturday’s second round with a chance to climb the leaderboard and make a serious run at advancing further in the championship.
Tankersley was the low man on the Ole Miss card, finishing the day at 1-over par.
The Dickson, Tennessee, native got off to one of the better starts in the field, making back-to-back birdies to open his round and reach the turn at 1-under.
He’d pick up one more birdie — this one on the par-5 2nd hole — before wrapping up his round. When Round 2 tees off Saturday morning, Tankersley will carry a share of 57th place into the next 18 holes.
Tom Fischer was the second-best performer for the Rebels on Friday, turning in a 4-over round. The senior closed out his day on a positive note, making a birdie on the 426-yard par-4 9th hole to finish things off.
Fischer’s been one of the most decorated players on this roster all season and he’ll look to get rolling in Round 2.
Collins Trolio and Finn Meister each carded rounds of 5-over in their opening efforts at La Costa.
The two didn’t quite find the form they were looking for Friday, but they’ve got three more rounds to make their mark on this championship if the Rebs stay in the hunt.
Cohen Trolio also finished at 5-over, though his round had a stretch that showed real promise.
He made three birdies over four consecutive holes on the back nine in a run that showed the kind of scoring ability the Rebels are capable of on this course.
That stretch wasn’t enough to save the overall number, but it’s the kind of momentum the younger Trolio can carry into the weekend.
As a team, the Rebs turned in a 303 (+15) that places them in a tie for 28th after the opening round.
The field at La Costa is deep and the scores are tight, so a strong second round Saturday morning could move Ole Miss up in a hurry.
The morning wave is where Ole Miss will be Saturday when Round 2 gets going. Cohen Trolio gets the assignment of leading off for the Rebels, set to tee off at 9:25 a.m. off No. 1.
