Silvis, Illinois — Blue Mountain Christian College sophomore Cobey Riddle finished tied for 15th individually at the 2026 NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship held at TPC at Deere Run. Riddle’s performance came after leading the No. 12-ranked Toppers to a successful season, despite narrowly missing the team cut earlier in the week, according to school officials.
Riddle remained competitive throughout all four rounds of the tournament, representing his program well on the national stage. In Friday’s final round on the par-70 course, he posted a score of 77 after a challenging start on the front nine. Riddle responded with a strong finish, playing the final nine holes at three-over par, including pars on holes 11, 12, 14, 16, and 17, the school said.
His strong week capped a breakout sophomore season. Riddle previously won the Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational and was consistently ranked among the top golfers nationally this year, according to Blue Mountain Christian officials. The Toppers also had standout seasons from junior Alex Nordstrom, freshmen Simon Meiby and Damil Ataullah, and senior Acen Lambert. The team maintained a top-15 national ranking throughout the season and reached as high as No. 4 in the NAIA.
Head Coach Kevin Barefield praised Riddle’s composure and competitiveness. “Cobey competed with tremendous heart all week long,” he said. “Finishing inside the top 15 at a national championship reflects the player and competitor he is becoming. I’m proud of how he represented our program and battled through every round. Our entire team gave everything they had this season, and Cobey’s performance this week exemplifies the culture we are building at Blue Mountain Christian.”
The team’s appearance at the NAIA National Championship marked a historic season for Blue Mountain Christian men’s golf.
