Loyola Men’s Golf Finishes Fifth in Season Opener Behind Strong Performances From Spaulding, Neira
Loyola Men’s Golf Finishes Fifth in Season Opener Behind Strong Performances From Spaulding, Neira
Loyola University Maryland men’s golf opened the 2026-27 season with a strong showing at the RedHawk Intercollegiate, using impressive finishes from Eli Spaulding and Diego Neira to secure fifth place in a competitive field at Pittsburgh Field Club.
The Greyhounds finished the 54-hole tournament at even-par 852 after rounds of 282, 284 and 286. VCU captured the team championship at 15-under 837, followed by Butler at 8-under, Seton Hall at 6-under and Ball State at 5-under. Loyola finished five shots behind Ball State while holding a three-shot advantage over Richmond and tournament host Miami University, which tied for sixth.
Spaulding Leads the Greyhounds
Eli Spaulding delivered Loyola’s best individual performance of the tournament, finishing tied for third among 84 competitors.
Spaulding put together rounds of 69, 67 and 70 to finish at 7-under 206 on the par-71 course. His final round became particularly impressive after he found himself 3-over through his first 12 holes.
Instead of allowing the difficult start to derail his round, Spaulding responded with four consecutive birdies on holes 13 through 16. That late surge allowed him to finish his final round at 1-under and maintain his position near the top of the individual leaderboard.
Spaulding totaled 15 birdies during the tournament, tying for second in the field in that category. His third-place finish was also the second-best individual tournament finish of his Loyola career. The performance earned Spaulding Patriot League Men’s Golfer of the Week honors following the tournament.
Neira Makes Huge Final-Round Move
Diego Neira provided Loyola with another major boost during Tuesday’s final round.
Neira entered the day tied for 61st overall, but he produced his best round of the tournament when Loyola needed it. Neira birdied three of his final six holes on the way to a 3-under 68.
The strong closing stretch helped Neira climb more than 30 positions on the leaderboard, ultimately finishing tied for 30th.
Between Spaulding and Neira, the two Greyhounds combined for seven birdies over their final 12 holes. Their ability to close rounds effectively helped Loyola protect its top-five position against several teams trying to make late moves.
Loyola Shows Depth
The Greyhounds also received contributions throughout their lineup.
Lorenzo Sanz and Jack Geyer each carded final-round scores of 3-over 74. Both finished the tournament at 4-over and tied for 37th individually.
Liam Moloney also shot a 74 during Tuesday’s final round and completed the tournament at 6-over, good for a tie for 48th. Zach Berger, competing as an individual rather than as part of Loyola’s team score, shot a 2-over 73 in the final round and tied for 75th at 16-over.
While Spaulding provided the headline performance, Loyola’s fifth-place finish was built on more than one golfer. The Greyhounds remained relatively consistent throughout all three rounds, opening with a 282 before following with rounds of 284 and 286.
That consistency kept Loyola within striking distance of the leaders throughout the tournament.
VCU ultimately separated itself from the field with rounds of 283, 275 and 279 for a 15-under 837. Butler finished seven shots back at 8-under, while Seton Hall and Ball State rounded out the four teams ahead of Loyola.
Strong Start to the Season
A fifth-place finish gives Loyola a solid foundation to build on as the Greyhounds begin another season with significant expectations.
Loyola has established itself as one of the Patriot League’s premier golf programs in recent years. The Greyhounds entered the 2026 Patriot League Championship having won four of the previous five conference titles and seven since joining the league in 2014.
The RedHawk Intercollegiate also gave Loyola an early opportunity to see how its lineup performs against a deep field. Spaulding’s top-three finish was the biggest individual result for Loyola, but Neira’s final-round charge was nearly as encouraging.
The Greyhounds also showed that they can remain competitive even without every member of the lineup playing his best golf simultaneously. That depth could become increasingly important as the season progresses.
MSB Take
Loyola could not have asked for much more from Spaulding in the season opener. Shooting 7-under over three rounds and finishing tied for third in an 84-player field is an excellent way to start the year, and his response after falling to 3-over early in the final round was particularly impressive.
Neira’s closing round should also stand out. Jumping from a tie for 61st to a tie for 30th in one round takes some excellent golf, and his three birdies over the final six holes helped Loyola finish the tournament on a positive note.
Most importantly, this was a strong team result. Loyola finished fifth at even par in a quality field and showed enough depth throughout its lineup to remain competitive over all 54 holes.
For a program accustomed to competing for Patriot League championships, the RedHawk Intercollegiate provided a promising first look at what the 2026-27 Greyhounds could become.
