Abilene Christian Intercollegiate to Host Nation’s Top College Golfers at Halbert National

Monday, October 19

Granbury, Texas

Abilene Christian

Abilene Christian Intercollegiate

Abilene Christian Intercollegiate to Host Nation’s Top College Golfers at Halbert National

10/17/2026 10:30:00 AM | Men's Golf, Women's Golf

By: Luke White

GRANBURY, Texas — Abilene Christian University will ascend into college golf's national spotlight as host of the inaugural Abilene Christian Intercollegiate at Halbert National Golf Club from Monday to Wednesday. The Wildcats will compete toe-to-toe with 16 of the country's premier men's and women's golf programs at one of Texas' premier courses, owned by ACU alumnus David D. Halbert ('78).

The action will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from 3-6 p.m. each day to cover three rounds of stroke play, with ACU alumnus Grant Boone ('91) on the call. Eight of the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate's 18 participants competed in last season's NCAA Tournament, featuring a collection of the nation's top college golfers with professional ambitions.

Participants in the inaugural Abilene Christian Intercollegiate include:

Men

Abilene Christian University
University of Arizona
University of Houston
University of Michigan
University of Missouri
Rice University
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
University of Tulsa

Women

Abilene Christian University
University of Arizona
Arizona State University
Baylor University
University of Cincinnati
University of Louisville
University of Oregon
Purdue University
University of Tennessee

"We are consistently willing to do bold things, to do hard things, to do things that most people would say we could not pull off, and so our willingness to have the courage to try it, I think, should be recognized," said Zack Lassiter, ACU vice president for athletics. "But then, even more so, our ability to pull it off and to create another significant milestone in ACU Athletics. We're doing some pretty special things.

"It all starts with the experience our students have at ACU. This is a place that changes lives, and so when people go out in the world and have an impact, I'm grateful that they want to be able to give back to ACU. It's going to be an incredible experience for our student-athletes."

Halbert National is a private, 18-hole course located 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth on 170 acres along Lake Granbury. The renowned Tom Fazio designed the 7,542-yard, par-72 course, which Halbert, an Abilene native, opened in 2025. The Abilene Christian Intercollegiate represents the first event of its scale to be hosted at Halbert National.

"This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Abilene Christian University and our golf program," ACU men's head coach Chance Cain said. "We are extremely thankful to the Halbert family for making this event possible and allowing us to compete on an incredible golf course that they have built.

"Halbert National is a true championship golf course that will test every part of a player's game, and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to bring an elite collegiate field here. Having the tournament televised on Golf Channel makes it even more special. We are excited to compete, represent ACU and showcase our university on a national stage."

Gallery: (11-13-2025) Halbert National

The Abilene Christian Intercollegiate will be held annually by Wildcat men's and women's golf at Halbert National and honors the late Johnny Perkins ('76), a standout wide receiver at ACU from 1974-76. The Granbury native became the program's all-time leader in receiving yards and earned All-American honors on his way to a seven-year NFL career. Perkins was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame and named to the university's All-Century Team, cementing his status as a Wildcat legend.

"We are so excited to be hosting the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate at Halbert National!," ACU women's head coach Rob Bennett said. "We believe this is a top-five tournament in women's college golf and we are grateful for the opportunity to host so many great teams at one of the best courses in the United States!

"Mr. Halbert's vision for a premier college golf tournament has elevated our program in ways that we could have only dreamed of. We can't wait to showcase the course, and Abilene Christian University, to the world!"

Halbert is a medical biotech engineer and the chairman, founder and CEO of Caris Life Sciences, a pioneering precision medicine company that delivers individualized medicine to patients. Halbert and his family also established the Caris Foundation, a private non-profit that provides basic needs for impoverished individuals.

ACU owns a proud golf history, with the men's program capturing the 1993 national title and boasting individual national champions in 1993 and 2010. Forty All-Americans have competed for the Wildcats. The women's team has quickly made a name for itself on the national level in just its fourth season. The squad has earned six victories and has been represented by an individual in the past three NCAA Tournaments.

Cain is in his first season at the helm of Wildcat men's golf, while Bennett has led the women's program since its establishment in 2023. A pair of freshman Wildcats have already been recognized for their efforts on the course this fall, with Cooper Watson named the United Athletic Conference Men's Golfer of the Week and Kaylee Yuan tabbed the Women's Golfer of the Week on Oct. 8.

HNS Sports Group, a Dublin, Ohio-based event management LLC specializing in golf, will manage the Abilene Christian Intercollegiate.

ACU men's golf will travel with a lineup of Watson, Rex Hargrove, Kade McDonough, Maximilian Björnström and Luis Buech. Jack Hollingsed and Preston DeFriend will compete as individuals.

The women's squad will trot out a lineup of Kate Pickrell, Yuan, Alana Kutt, Jiyu Han and Julia Vollmer. Hoi Ki Lau and Jasmine Do will compete individually.