Golf News: 7-7-2026

[Dudley Dent]

Auburn Golf News: 7-7-2026

Auburn men's golf continues reload with three top 2026 recruits now on campus:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-mens-golf-hampton-beebe-smith-summerlin-alex-holder-288173655/

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Auburn men's golf continues reload with three top 2026 recruits now on campus

By Christian Clemente

The last decade has been kind to Auburn men's golf, and the last five or so years especially have seen the program elevate to dynasty status. Winning two national championships in three years, the Tigers have flourished under head coach Nick Clinard and have a roster built out to continue competing with the best even after losing one of the most decorated golfers in college history in Jackson Koivun.

Auburn returns four of its five starters from last year's team, along with sixth man and substitute Billy Davis. But they'll be pushed and have to continue to earn their spots with three top 2026 recruits now on campus and ready to roll.

Alex Holder, an Indiana native, was a rare early enrollee in golf and got to spend the spring on campus. He redshirted, but got to see what life is like as a player on the team and practice alongside the national champs to get a feel for things, in what could prove to be invaluable experience.

"He's kind of a workhorse, he works all the time at it," head coach Nick Clinard told Auburn Undercover. "He's got a beautiful golf swing, he's got a great teacher in Jeff Smith — he's had a really, really good plan to make him better. He came in early and redshirted just to learn and spend some time with all these older guys in Cayden (Pope) and Josiah (Gilbert) and Jackson (Koivun) and learn from them and learn the ropes.

"He needs to get better around the greens, needs to putt a little better and pitch a little better, but he knows that. He's a good driver of the golf ball which sets everything up. He's a good iron player. He should fit really well in our system."

During his junior golf career some of Holder's top accomplishments include winning the 2025 Indiana State Amateur, a pair of top-15s at the 2024 Jones Cup Junior Invitational and the 2025 Circle K Junior Championship and a 17th place finish at the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Moving to campus recently, that came after West Palm Beach, Florida, native Hampton Beebe won the 109th Amateur in the state of Florida and secured his spot in the U.S. Amateur later this summer. He also won the Discover Puerto Rico Open championship back in 2025.

"He's a kid that's raw, he's a big-body kid. I don't want the offensive line coach to see him because he could make him an offensive guard if you add about 50 pounds to him," Clinard said. "But he's a kid that has a lot of raw ability. A lot of speed. A lot of skill. He's got a really good teacher down in south Florida, Jason Bell, does a wonderful job with him. And listen, if you win the state amateur down in the state of Florida, that's a big win. To come out of high school and do that I think that shows his ability to come here and help us."

Beebe also had top-10 finishes in the 2025 Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship and 2025 Billy Horschel Atlanta Classic, with several South Florida PGA and FJT victories.

Also moving in recently was Smith Summerlin, a North Carolina native that chose the Tigers over the Tar Heels and Tennessee.

Summerlin has a fourth place at 31st Annual Bobby Chapman on his resume along with a fourth at 2024 Eastern Amateur and 2024 Carolinas Amateur.

"Smith is another kid that has just an incredible work ethic," Clinard said. "Great family. Extremely competitive. Like, he's one of those elite competitors that just wants to kick your butt every time he tees off no matter what he does. He's smart, he understands the game and has high golf IQ. He'll lean on his competitiveness and golf IQ to be able to compete and help us."