LSU Men's Golf Team Dropped in National Rankings
The Tigers fell to 17th in the Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll after a difficult start to the fall season.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Golf
Live Poll
Do you believe local university sports programs can consistently maintain elite rankings across multiple seasons?
The LSU men's golf team has slipped eight spots in the latest Golfweek Division I Coaches Poll, moving from No. 9 to No. 17. The decline follows a challenging start to the fall tournament season for the Baton Rouge-based squad.
Why it matters
The team has struggled to maintain momentum due to the absence of preseason All-American Arni Sviensson, who missed the first three tournaments with injuries. Coaches have relied on younger players to fill the gap during this period of transition.
LSU placed 12th at the Inverness Intercollegiate, 9th at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational, and 7th at the Bryan Bros Collegiate. During these events, individual performances included Dylan Kayne finishing 12 strokes over par and Austin Randall placing 42nd at +4.
The players
Arni Sviensson
He is a preseason All-American golfer for LSU who missed the start of the fall 2026 season due to injuries.
Dylan Kayne
He is a younger team member who competed for LSU during the fall 2026 tournament stretch.
Austin Randall
He is an LSU golfer who represented the team at the Bryan Bros Collegiate.
John Doyle
He is an LSU team member who participated in early-season tournaments as the roster navigated injury-related absences.
The details
The program provided playing opportunities to younger team members, such as John Doyle, who shot eight over par at the Inverness Intercollegiate. These efforts were intended to bridge the performance gap while the team awaits the return of Sviensson, who maintained a 70.39 stroke average over 31 rounds last year.
Timeline
LSU finished the 2025-2026 season ranked No. 7 in the nation.
The team played its first three golf tournaments during the fall of 2026.
LSU is scheduled to participate in the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational on October 17, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This decline shifts LSU out of the top ten, placing more pressure on the team to perform at the upcoming Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational to remain competitive for postseason consideration. A strong finish is now required to regain the national standing they held at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season.
The team must improve its tournament placements to climb back into the top ten before the end of the fall schedule. Players like Austin Randall and Dylan Kayne will need to lower their scores significantly to help the program overcome the current statistical deficit.
The takeaway
The team's recent drop reflects the volatility of collegiate golf when top performers are sidelined. Success for the remainder of the season will depend on the depth of the roster while waiting for key veterans to return.
What happens next
LSU will compete in the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational on October 17, 2026.
Further reading
For more news on the collegiate circuit, visit Golf.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Reveille.
Live Poll
Do you believe local university sports programs can consistently maintain elite rankings across multiple seasons?
