Men's Golf 5/21/2026 11:36:00 AM

Octavio Laurent Caps Off Historic Freshman Season Making History with National Title

BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - The 2025–26 men's golf season for the University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks began with the opening tournament on September 15, 2025. After a long season of hard work and dedication, spanning 12 tournaments, it all paid off for Octavio Laurent, who ended his freshman season as a National Champion.

"Octavio has been nothing but phenomenal since he stepped foot on campus in August. I could not be more thrilled for all of his hard work to pay off in such a rewarding way. To end the year by not only winning the NCAA championship, but to do so by breaking several NCAA records is spectacular," stated head coach Cory Cottrell. "This was a special week for Octavio, but also the whole USCB golf community. There are so many people who have poured so much time and dedication into USCB golf, that this success is shared with them as well".

After months of regular-season play, the postseason began in late April as the Sand Sharks placed fourth at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament, earning a spot in the NCAA Regional Tournament.
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In the NCAA Regional Tournament, Laurent finished at 11-under-par, earning a fourth-place finish overall and punching his ticket to the NCAA Championship as an individual competitor.

On May 18, it all began as Laurent kept pace with the field, finishing round one tied for 19th place after carding a two-under-par round. It only got better from there. In round two at Boulder Creek Golf Club, Laurent finished the afternoon at six-under-par, jumping 17 spots on the leaderboard and moving into a tie for second place after the first two rounds.

He was not done yet, as he continued to improve in round three. On May 20, Laurent closed out the final 18 holes at nine-under-par after an impressive round that included nine birdies, nine pars, and a score of 63. He finished the three-round tournament with a total score of 199 and 17-under-par, both of which set program records for a tournament.

Laurent finished the NCAA Championships with a tournament-high 22 birdies. He added 27 pars to total 49 pars or better in 54 holes in the tournament. He went 18 straight holes at par or better and played 35 of 36 holes at par or better during the final two rounds. His third round made history, not only securing the National Championship for Laurent, but also making him the first Sand Shark athlete to win a national title in the NCAA Division II era.

This capped off an incredible season for the freshman, who continued to build momentum throughout the year. He finished the season with seven tournaments under par, eight top-10 finishes, including three top-three finishes, and a scoring average of 69.8. In addition, he carded 23 rounds at par or better across 35 rounds during the season. He also finished five of his final six tournaments at par or under par. He finished top five in four of his six final tournaments, and top 15 in the final seven of the season.

Laurent also recorded one tournament victory during the season, with that win coming on the biggest stage as he became the National Champion.

His accolades during the 2025–26 freshman season included:
● 2026 NCAA National Champion
● Peach Belt Conference Co-Player of the Year
● Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year
● 2026 First Team NCAA Division II PING All-Southeast Region Team
● 2026 First Team NCAA Division II PING All-American
● 2026 NCAA Division II Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award

A storybook season ended in the most fitting way possible, with Laurent closing out an incredible freshman campaign as a National Champion.

Stay tuned to uscbathletics.com and follow Sand Shark Athletics on social media for the latest news, updates, and information.

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