Maui Jim Intercollegiate
A Legacy of Collegiate Class
College golf is such an interesting sport to follow. Fundamentally, it contains the standard seasonal structure of all collegiate sports - regular season, conference championship, post season - however those regular season golf tournaments have a personality beyond the rivalries. Some of them even have their own branding which generates a following that (most) pro tournaments dream of being able to manufacture.
Large or small, branded or not, each of these tournaments require a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes. All too often this labor of love is quietly appreciated until it is quietly discontinued.
The Maui Jim Intercollegiate was a relatively new (2016) and short-lived tournament, however it’s impact and legacy stretch beyond eight years in Arizona. An abrupt and unceremonious ending should not be the story of this incredible tournament, instead the focus will be how it embodied what a first-class collegiate golf event can (and should) look like when revenue takes a backseat to a people-first focus.
WAIT…SOMETHING IS MISSING
As we got into the meat of the Fall 2024-25 season, it suddenly hit me that I hadn’t seen info on the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, aka the “MJI.” Like several others who follow college golf (mostly online), I had taken particular note of this event over the last couple of years given its penchant for interesting storylines. There was low scoring, sure, but also you had things like freshman sensation Caleb Surratt winning his very first collegiate tournament. Even without a favorite team playing in the event, it was always one to watch closely.
After noticing the hole in the September schedule, I took a shot by reaching out to the still-active MJI social media account to see if something had happened to cause a one-year hiatus. The response was bleak. Along with the disappointing news that the tournament was cancelled for good, however, I also ended up finding much more than I could have ever anticipated.
WHAT MAKES THE MJI
Why in the world was a Georgia college hosting an event in Arizona 2,000 miles away from campus - that’s a 28+ hour van ride for those curious - and why was it so well attended? As is often the case, it’s a story of the right people being in the right place with the right amount of passion and willingness to put in the effort.
Assembling the Pieces
To understand what made the MJI so special, you first have to know about the people. There are of course many more not mentioned here who played an integral part in the MJI success, but I’ll try to keep this as direct as possible.
Mirabel is a world renown Tom Fazio design located just 40 miles north of Phoenix, AZ. The private course is one of those rarely open to collegiate golfers, which make its hosting of the MJI even more interesting. The connection is with PGA Professional David Engram. The Georgia State alum and letter-winner - in fact holds the distinction of being one of the first medalists in program history - became the Club’s Head Golf Pro in 2010 after serving as an assistant pro at other prestigious clubs such as Atlanta CC and East Lake.
Sometime around early 2015, Engram encountered Mike Dalton - President of Maui Jim and recent Mirabel member - in the hallway and made one of those life-altering pitches. An avid collegiate sports fan, Engram asked the creator of the wildly popular NCAA basketball tournament if he had ever considered sponsoring a college golf tournament. Turns out he had! Within 24 hours, Engram was in touch with John “Lettuce” Romaine and the Maui Jim Intercollegiate was born.
The 18 months from idea to the first playing is actually impressively fast when putting together something of this magnitude. Engram thought he might have to illicit sponsorship from other companies such as Buffalo Wild Wings (another Mirabel membership connection), however Maui Jim was committed to doing it “the right way” and Romaine worked his magic.
Joe Inman - Wake Forest alum who played under legendary Coach Jesse Haddock - was a long-time successful pro golfer before succeeding Coach Matt Clark as head coach of Georgia State’s men’s program in 2008. Not long into his tenure, he got a call from passionate alum David Engram. The two remained in contact as Engram closely followed his Panther program who annually hosted the Auto Trader Collegiate Classic (“ATCC”).
In several ways, the ATCC is an important aspect of the later success of the MJI. Coach Inman and Georgia State Associate Athletic Director Mike Holmes, himself an alum who returned to the school in 2008, endeavored to run their event that “right way” and learned much along the way. Inman recognized the opportunities hosting the MJI would bring - direct competition with the “big boys” as well as home-and-home invites being the most obvious - and the three men each did their part in bringing the Maui Jim Intercollegiate to life, even being 2,000 miles apart.
Nick Brassill joined Engram at Mirabel in the 2020s and became a crucial member of the tournament team as he took on the myriad of responsibilities needed for everything to run smoothly, literally writing the book for everyone in the form of multi-page info packets for both volunteers and coaches. On the course, USGA-certified rules experts Jim Balaschak and Jerry Glover - literal legends in Arizona amateur golf - kept everything moving along nicely with a cadre of rules officials to navigate the mundane issues as well as those special to desert golf, such as possible relief from cacti (nope!) and rattlesnakes in the landing zone on #7 (yep!). Add in Jeff Goren’s agronomy team, Executive Chef Jon Hearnsberger’s kitchen staff, Alycia Bozzani’s clubhouse staff, and everyone else on the grounds, and you get a peek at Mirabel’s true first-class hospitality.
This Georgia State “Panther Insider” podcast episode from Sep 2021 is a great conversation between then-Associate A.D. for Sports Communications Mike Holmes and then-Mirabel head pro David Engram (1995 alum) who delves into much of this info along with his personal journey.
Members Serving Members
The MJI was an immediate success and only got better in successive years as the excitement built on itself. Literal scores of Club members dedicated their days volunteering and many opened up their homes to teams at night. Neither of those are unique to this event, however the degree to which the Mirabel membership went clearly left an impression on the visiting teams. The members - who gave up 3 days of prime time right before the annual overseeding - made a point of breaking down the host/guest wall and instead treated all who came as fellow members. As multiple people expressed it: “It felt like family.”
Take for instance Terry & Mark Krivoruchka (aka “Coach K”) who are excellent examples of the Mirabel membership, without whom this tournament would not have been successful. Need a spotter? Done. People or things need to be shuttled? Done. Being a starter provided an opportunity for Coach K to become familiar with players and coaches on a personal level, one that went even deeper with hosting Ohio State and Wake Forest. The Krivoruchkas have their signed flags, but those are just the physical representations of the connections made.
The [hopeful takeaway] is the connectivity between members of a small private community with the college golf community. One on a personal level where the players reflect fondly how Mirabel treated them well and they treated Mirabel well. It was cool!
Another example is Lillian & Dr. Kenji Hamada, who hosted several teams over the years including Oregon and Georgia State at the beginning in 2016. There were (NCAA approved) dinners and tons of conversation, and perhaps a few spirited putting competitions. The Hamadas built friendships that extended beyond the confines of the MJI, counting Oregon Head Coach Casey Martin in that company. In fact, the Hamadas had a hand in fundraising for Oregon’s new facility “The Jake”.
“It doesn’t just end because the MJI ended, those friendships continue.”
Others such as Jane & Judge Dave Bernthal not only echoed this sentiment, but emphasized how the appreciation was a two-way street. As much as the teams appreciated the kindness shown to them as adopted members, they repaid it in a way that was uplifting to their new friends:
“When [the tournament was over] you just have a revived sense of hope for the future. [It was] like a breath of fresh air. Even a non-golfer could understand how uplifting and encouraging it was...how much promise there is in our future with these young men.”
Indeed, everyone I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with has expressed very similar attitudes that the relationships they built in that short time were and are genuine. I’m doing a disservice by not sharing all of their stories in detail, however it’s important to know that there were so many wonderful people involved who also deserve mention not only for the time they gave - without which I’ve been told repeated from several people that this tournament just wouldn’t have been able to function properly - but even more so the invaluable spirit they shared.
“To me personally it was quite an honor to host these talented individuals who were looking to make it to the next level. [They are] good individuals, good people, as well as good golfers.”
-Dr. Kenji Hamada
First-Class EVERYTHING
Time and again in my extended conversations with Nick and others responsible for the MJI, they emphasized how much it meant to them (and by extension everyone at Mirabel) to treat everyone there for the tournament as club members for the entirety of the event. Of course it’s easy to say that, but the actions give emphasis to this attitude: from the early morning hours by the agronomy team to the late evening kitchen staff. Everything at the Club was made available to players, coaches, and even spectators, and an over-abundance of volunteers helped smooth the way for everyone to focus on the golf.
Players would stay in the clubhouse afterwards to eat and do their homework. We made sure they not only had access to good quality food at any time, but was also palatable to college kids. The small details were important to us, on and off the course.
-Nick Brassill
I’ve also been fortunate enough speak with more than a few people who attended this event, and invariably asked each one what made the Maui Jim Intercollegiate stand out. The near-universal response - and always with the same upwards inflection - was “The people!” Baylor head coach Mike McGraw attended the very first MJI and had this to say:
“…the tournament was fantastic, mainly because of the membership taking an interest in the event, volunteering and acting as a host for each team. The course, while not too difficult, was immaculate. The main reason it was a great event was the incredible hospitality."
When you have an intersection of an ultra high-class venue with people who genuinely care for those they are hosting, the end product will inevitably be something special. The coaches for these elite programs are no strangers to high caliber tournaments - many of them hosting one themselves - and yet the MJI was clearly a highlight:
“The Maui Jim Intercollegiate was the perfect season opener - elite competition, a world-class course and conditions at Mirabel, and unmatched hospitality from the entire club, led by David Engram, Nick Brassill, and their membership and staff. It set the tone for the year with both intensity and enjoyment.”
NCAA team champion, Jan Strickland Award winner, and long-time assistant under Coach Fields at Texas, Jean-Paul Hebert took over as the third ever head coach of UNLV men’s golf in 2022. The MJI was his debut leading the Rebels and will forever be a lasting memory for Coach Hebert:
The Maui Jim Intercollegiate was one of those all around good-vibe events. The Club was welcoming, course was pure and set up fairly, and the gifts were top notch. Yet at the same time the competition was strong, and you could find out in a hurry how your team was stacking up. It was a great way to start out the season.
The free pair of sunglasses didn’t hurt, but you don’t buy the kind of passion I heard over and over again with a pair of shades. The other phrase that kept coming up in my conversations was “It was just fun.”
Everyone on the grounds worked in concert to execute the perfect week. Maui Jim, particularly John Romaine, went all out with a full luau and other fun things that emphasized the Hawaiian connection while host Mirabel went above and beyond with the hospitality. Paraphrasing Mike Holmes, there are two types of tournaments: money focused and people focused; and the MJI was the very embodiment of that latter category.
So it’s not just the members that get behind [the MJI] at Mirabel, or me...it’s the other staff members here, the agronomy department is excited to host, our chef is excited to host, the members are welcoming and want teams to come to their house and have a barbecue. So really everyone gets behind it here.”
-David Engram
[Video: Andrew Schulz, Mirabel Marketing/Communications]
Scoring Records
Beyond just the hospitality itself, which frankly would keep any team coming back, the whisperings that Grayhawk was going to be a three-year host of the NCAA championships provided an intriguing reason for teams to get in some early-season practice from nearby Mirabel (just 15 miles north). With the proximity and elite field, the MJI became a de facto championship Preview tournament.
When you think of the US Open you think of a perfect setup, and that’s essentially what the agronomy team at Mirabel achieved. It’s easy to think that the low scores were the product of an easy course, but that could not be further from the truth for the MJI. In fact, when asked about that very idea, the coaches I spoke to emphasized that the scoring was a byproduct of perfect conditions (for Arizona) and an absolutely pristine setup.
As Georgia Tech head coach Bruce Heppler - who would know given his teams’ success here - put it: good teams with good players on good greens (and course in general) makes for really good scoring. Thanks in part to the tireless work from the grounds crew and cooperation from the weather, the Maui Jim Intercollegiate will remain in many teams’ record books for a long time.
Even the national record books, unofficially but painstakingly maintained by Duke’s Lindy Brown, contain entries for the MJI. Auburn now has multiple 18 and 54-hole team scoring records (raw score and score-to-par). Their 2023 round 1 score of 63+65+65+67=260/-24 also had a drop score of 67/-4 which as of this writing is the second lowest raw score and score to par for a drop score that we’ve found! The year prior, also in the first round, then-junior Ryan Eshleman set team and course records as he joined the list of just 16 (now 21) players to shoot 60.
The above video comes from the legendary Lance Ringler (Golfweek) showing how close Eshleman came to becoming the first player to shoot 59 in a collegiate tournament!
Unique Hardware
Sunglasses aren’t the only iconic hardware from the Maui Jim Intercollegiate. The Hawaiian roots John Romaine ensured were present are celebrated in the trophies the players and teams earned with their play.
First up is the large perpetual trophy which documented the winning teams and medalists and lives at the Mirabel clubhouse. The trophy was a gift of Les Tamashiro and the late Curtis Kono. Tamashiro was a letter-winner for the University of Hawaii golf team (1974-75) who went on to have a huge impact in the business side of golf in Hawaii and was just this year inducted in the Aloha PGA Hall of Fame. Kono also attended Hawaii and is remembered fondly for - among so many things - his 20 years as the superintendent at Oahu Country Club where this mokeypod tree was supposedly sourced.
The individual medalist each year received a large wooden trophy in the style of a traditional Makau, a Hawaiian fish hook. Anyone with kids (or not, let’s be honest it’s a fun movie) will recognize the hook for its similarity to the magical one wielded by Maui in Disney’s Moana. According to the Hawaii Guide, there is deep significance here:
In ancient Hawai'i, the Makau was an essential tool for survival. Fishing was not merely a means of sustenance but also a way of life that shaped the very fabric of Hawaiian society. The Makau, crafted from bone, shell, or stone, was a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Hawaiian people.
Beyond its practical use, the Makau held deep spiritual significance. It was believed to possess mana, or divine power, which could bring good fortune and abundance to those who possessed it. The Makau was often passed down through generations, serving as a tangible connection to one's ancestors and the wisdom they held.
One problem every coach hoped to have to deal with was figuring out how to transport a surf board back to campus. The tradition of the winning team getting a custom Hawaiian-made Wade Tokoro surfboard started with the Maui Jim basketball tournament and carried over to the golf course. In addition to that, each player for the winning squad also got a wooden Makau trophy for their dorm room. You might ask what teams do with the surf board. Auburn has both of theirs on prominent display next to their (ever popular) ping pong table.
KFT Exemption
Ahead of the 2022 event, Robert Rozek, CFO (along with other titles) of Korn Ferry and prominent Mirabel member, kindly extended an exceptional offer for a special exemption to the MJI medalist into a Korn Ferry Tour event the following season. Along with his first career collegiate victory, Caleb Surratt [Tennessee] also earned that first exemption. The next year, future (2025) Latin American Amateur champ Justin Hastings [San Diego State] earned the exemption which he utilized to play in the 2024 NV5 Invitational.
A QUIET ENDING
It’s hard to discuss the ending of such a wonderful thing, especially when trying to keep focus on the positive aspects. The fact of the matter is that various life opportunities led to a series of departures from key people such as David Engram and Nick Brassill. Combine that loss of key support at Mirabel with organizational changes at Maui Jim - which was acquired by the parent company that owns Gucci and Saint Laurent - and you have a recipe for a quickly devolving situation as decision makers suddenly fail to see the “value” in hosting a college golf tournament.
The ending was abrupt, coming just months before the start of the 2024-25 season. Coaches were informed pretty late, leaving many scrambling to fill the sudden hole in their Fall schedule. There may well be some bad blood there now. Altogether, it was an unfitting end, like a luau cancelled in the 11th hour because someone got tired of the music and convinced others paying for the feast wasn’t worth it. Unfortunately, the show doesn’t always go on, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the memories even as we lament what could/should have been.
DATA DIVE
No post on any tournament is complete without the actual data. Feel free to explore the entire history of results from the MJI here:
https://www.5count4.com/home/mji-dashboard
Auburn holds the record for both the lowest raw score (795) and score-to-par (-56) from back-to-back victories in the final two seasons of the tournament, with their best victory - both in margin of victory and Strokes Gained Differential (SG over the field average per round per player) - coming at the start of their 2023-24 NCAA championship season. The best team performance, however, belongs to the 2016-17 LSU team which amassed 44.31 strokes over the field average, which comes out to a SG Diff of 3.69 over 54 holes! Georgia Tech matched Auburn with two MJI victories and three total top 3 finishes, but the overall team MJI team champ is Arizona State with four total top3s including two victories of their own.
The team winners each year:
2016: LSU by 5 with a score of 811/-41 with a SG Diff of 3.69
NCAA top 10 finish
[Photo: LSU Athletics] 2017: ASU by 1 with 857/-7/2.37 SG Diff
NCAA top 15 finish
[Photo: Arizona State Athletics] 2018: Georgia Tech by 2 with 812/-28/1.49 SG Diff
Two future US Amateur champions, Andy Ogletree (2019) and Tyler Strafaci (2020), combined for 8 birdies in the closing stretch
NCAA top 20 finish
[Photo: Georgia Tech Athletics] 2019: ASU by 7 with 802/-38/2.28 SG Diff
NO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
[Photo: Arizona State Athletics] 2021: Georgia Tech by 1 with 796/-44/2.21 SG Diff
NCAA top 15 finish
[Photo: Georgia Tech Athletics] 2022: Auburn by 5 with 795/-45/2.36 SG Diff
NCAA top 10 finish
[Photo: Auburn Athletics] 2023: Auburn by 11 with 796/-56/2.67 SG Diff
The MJI boasts an impressive list of individual players, already known to college and amateur golf fans, who are primed to make their mark on the pro golf history books. Players from 15 different NCAA conferences that participated in the MJI also represented both Walker Cup teams and now even the Ryder Cup (Collin Morikawa & Sam Burns). When you peruse the MJI record book you see British (Jovan Rebula & Christo Lamprecht), Latin America (Justin Hastings), and US Amateur champions (Andy Ogletree, Tyler Strafaci, & Josele Ballester). You also find winners on the European, LIV, and PGA Tours. And as of 2025, there is at least one Major champion: Collin Morikawa (2020 PGA Championship & 2021 British Open Championship).
Coming at the beginning of the season for many teams, the MJI was the introduction to college golf for players like Luke Clanton, Jackson Koivun, and Caleb Surratt; the latter medaling in his very first start with a record 192/-18, which is currently tied for the third-lowest score shot in NCAA golf history.
The seven MJI medalists:
2016: Luis Gagne [LSU] won by 2 but his 196/-17 was 21.36 strokes better than the field average
[Photo: LSU Athletics] 2017: Alejandro del Rey [ASU] won by 3 with 206/-10/20.04 SG
[Photo: Arizona State Athletics] 2018: Bryson Nimmer [Clemson] won by 2 with 195/-15/15.79 SG
[Photo: Clemson Athletics] 2019: Cameron Sisk [ASU] won by 2 with 196/-14/13.99 SG
[Photo: Arizona State Athletics] 2021: JM Butler [Auburn] by 1 with 193/-17/15.6 SG
JM Butler set a program scoring record on his way to victory [Photo: Auburn Athletics] 2022: Caleb Surratt [Tennessee] by 3 with 192/-18/16.61 SG
[Photo: Tennessee Athletics] 2023: Justin Hastings [SDSU] by 1 with 195/-18/14.72 SG
Love data? Turns out you can still see the results from the 2017 MJI Long Drive competition on this website run by Rob Rashell Golf!
LASTING LEGACY
When I reached out to find out why there was a Maui-Jim-Intercollegiate-sized hole in the Fall 2024 schedule, I - a fan who had never been out on the grounds of Mirabel - not only learned about a first-class tournament, I learned about first-class people. In many ways, everything mentioned here is indicative of the greater spirit of the sport I love. Before every 7am shotgun start on a 36-hole day, there is unseen and often unappreciated effort. Behind every open kitchen or boxed lunch there is effort. Inside every car, van, or plane ride, there is effort. Walking beside every volunteer, there is effort. Throughout every single college golf tournament, there is effort. It’s literally all around for those who care to look.
The lasting legacy of the Maui Jim Intercollegiate goes well beyond the bounds of a eight year tournament. I’m not saying the MJI is the only event that has all of these wonderful elements, but rather it was an embodiment of all of these things dialed up to 11. What I hope you take away from this is recognizing the first-class spirit of effort this one tournament represents for the totality of college golf. To every player, parent, or patron, see this effort and repay it with humility that will outdistance any drive and respect that will out-sink any putt. In a world of dollar signs that encroaches in on this sport that means so much to so many of us, remember that kindness is the ultimate currency and effort is always rewarded, even if only for a fleeting time.
Thanks for reading! My special thanks to all who were willing to share info for this entry in the college golf history book, and especially to Nick Brassill whose time, info, and friendship is more than I can repay! His passion is infectious in the best possible way and I can see exactly why every person I spoke to expressed such high appreciation for his hard work and dedication.
An excellent and thoughtful reflection of this unique tournament. As a multi year volunteer, I can say that I miss the experience, meeting new people from around the country (many of whom had never been to Arizona!), and the energy and excellence these players, their coaches and their families brought to the club.