Latest news with #OmniLaCosta
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How NCAA individual champ Michael La Sasso is learning to enjoy PGA Tour spotlight at Rocket Classic
Michael La Sasso admits his head is still spinning from everything that has happened the last month. On May 28, he won the NCAA individual title at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, California, capping his junior year in style. Two weeks later, he was on the East Coast teeing it up in his first U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, a perk that came with his win at the NCAA Championship. Now, La Sasso, a rising senior at Ole Miss and third-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is making his first start at a PGA Tour event, the 2025 Rocket Classic, playing as a sponsor exemption. Donning Rocket on his hat, the youngster is still processing the craziness of the last month as he prepares to take on Detroit Golf Club. "We were kind of joking about how many flights I've been on," La Sasso said. "It's kind of something I've not been recently exposed to, but hopefully I can in the future. Yeah, I feel like I've been on the road consistently, but it's been great. It's something that I'm fortunate to be a part of." There have been a handful of notable names to congratulate La Sasso on his victory, but the one that stands out is former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, now with the New York Giants. Also among those reaching out is Braden Thornberry, who won an NCAA individual title at Ole Miss in 2017, and has been a role model for La Sasso in recent years. During the NCAA Championship, La Sasso said he and Thornberry talked about handling the pressure and how La Sasso needed to enjoy the week. Then Thornberry was one of the first to reach out when La Sasso won the biggest title of his amateur career. "Braden lives in Memphis, so he comes down pretty much every Monday when their golf courses are closed. I always try and make time in my day if it's kind of trying to get out of class early or trying to go just like spend time with him, pick his brain," La Sasso said. '"He's like the nicest ever, and he's great. You ask a ton of questions, he's great to us. Just to have the ability to talk with a guy who's kind of seen everything is something that is pretty underrated." That advice has helped La Sasso process a new outlook on golf in the past month. He was late to the golf game, not really following the sport or getting into it as a player until after the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, where he was a standard bearer. He followed Martin Kaymar and Thomas Pieters that week, and he closely followed Akshay Bhatia's path of skipping college golf and turning pro, with the two sharing the same swing coach. La Sasso arrived at Ole Miss as a wide-eyed freshman still not realizing his full potential. He got closer and closer to a win but couldn't break through his first two years. Then this year, he ran away with the title at the Hamptons Intercollegiate, where he won by 11 shots. Then came the win at NCAAs. "Kind of knowing that I'm very much capable of being able to compete on a collegiate level," La Sasso said. "It was more kind of maturing a little bit, having the ability to realize all right, my time management needs to be in the right spot, kind of just knowing what it takes to actually win. "Most times you've got to think it's perfect golf for all 54 holes for us, but there's going to be some rough stretches in how you handle that and just are able to keep like a good mindset is just kind of smile is what I've kind of just been trying to take into this summer and into senior year." His busy summer will continue after the Rocket Classic, even after finally getting a chance to go home and have a quick reset. He'll be one of the favorites at the 2025 U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club in August before representing the U.S. in the Walker Cup in September, where last week he was named one of the first three selections to the 10-man team. Heading into his senior year, he has a chance to earn a PGA Tour card via PGA Tour University, where he's going to be in the top five when the Class of 2026 preseason rankings are announced later this summer. It makes weeks like this more important, as every point counts when trying to secure job status on the biggest professional golf tour in an era where Tour cards are harder to come by. But in the meantime, he's trying to enjoy the fruits of his labor. "You know, I try and keep it pretty light. Something about me is if you're not enjoying what you're doing, there's kind of no point in doing it. I try and keep a smile all the time, take it pretty light and just kind of enjoy and know where you're at. "It's so easy to get caught up in everything, especially like with all the tournaments and people, it's a little bit of a different environment, but just realize like how cool it is to actually be here, have the ability to play first PGA Tour event, very special. Just smile, take it all in and just grateful to be here."
Forbes
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
A Special 60th Summer At California's Omni La Costa Resort And Spa
The Omni La Costa Resort And Spa in Carlsbad, California, with a view of the restaurant and ... More clubhouse from the championship golf course. Opened in 1965 and host to celebrities from Jackie Kennedy to Frank Sinatra, La Costa celebrates its 60th anniversary this summer. The Omni La Costa resort in Carlsbad, CA, has been a classic sport to swing a golf club, hoist a racket or hold a highball since its founding in the mid-1960's. Now it's summer and the updated resort is ready to kick off its next 60 years with a nod to the celebrities, stars and athletes who have made La Costa a destination since its 1965 opening. Of course, the classic Spanish Mission-style property is focused on offering what guests want in 2025. Renovated in 2024, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa offers over 600 guestrooms, suites and villas, an athletic club, and eight pools including an adults-only pool. Kids and adult thrill seekers get tall, dizzying waterslides. And La Costa is offering a specialty booking package from now through December 31, 2025 which includes 25% off all accommodations (with a minimum of two nights) this year and $100 resort credit. The property has a new state-of-the-art golf practice facility, offering Southern California's most comprehensive game improvement program. Tennis and pickleball are also available, so guests can awaken their inner athlete when not relaxing at the spa. The 43,000-square-foot Spa at La Costa includes a private pool, waterfall showers and café. The first-ever spa resort in the U.S., the Spa at La Costa helped start America's wellness revolution. Guests can try standard massage, facials and other treatments as well as therapies from advanced hydrotherapy to customized skin rejuvenation to a therapeutic reflexology path. This summer the Spa at La Costa will offer night spa-inspired experiences as well. Guests enjoying the grounds at the Spa at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA. La Costa also offers one of the largest resort meeting spaces in the Southwest, with Costa de la Luna ballroom and Luna Lawn added in 2021. The resort has 170,000 square feet of meeting and event space. Restaurants like Bob's Steak & Chop House, VUE, and Bar Traza provide hearty food and drink. This summer, the partying kicks off with A Star Spangled Spectacular. The Omni La Costa is celebrating Independence Day (July 4, 2025) with an evening under the stars, lighting up the sky with a drone show set to a live band. Ticketed guests will dine and enjoy an array of activities. As for the 60th anniversary, La Costa will host a weekend-long celebration from July 11–13, 2025, featuring vintage-themed experiences for both locals and guests. Highlights will include: Golf legend Lee Trevino looks on as Jack Nicklaus holds the winner's check from the Tournament of ... More Champions at La Costa Country Club in this vintage photo. The La Costa celebration of its past and future will continue all summer long, as the Beach Boys sang. In addition to the 4th of July and the anniversary celebration, the La Costa calendar is full of live music, Secret Garden Spa Parties, Night Camp and Kids Movie and Dinner Night with child care. There are Scoop Socials with an ice cream cart, and a Tiki Social. A specialty menu of tiki-inspired creations will celebrate the ultimate drink of the 1950's and 1960's. Families with children and teens are not forgotten at Omni La Costa, with its onsite Kids Club and special programs for teens. The resort's kids club, Kidtopia, is now Little Sprouts. The counselor-supervised program for children ages six months to 12 years is available year-round but is especially valuable when children are off from school for the summer. Kids get daily hands-on activities & experiences like gardening and outdoor excursions, arts and crafts, golf, and pool games. There are even night camps on designated evenings, offering a drop-off experience for children while parents enjoy a night out on the property. The fireplace and outdoor cafe at the Spa, at La Costa Resort and Spac, Carlsbad, CA. With many families concerned about teen wellness and mental health, the Spa Summer Camp offers a seasonal retreat where moms, dads, and teens can unwind together at The Spa. Through September, the resort is also offering Neon Nights for families, with a rotating series of glow-in-the-dark events including Neon Golf Nights, Neon Paint Nights, and Neon Pool Nights. The La Costa story started in The1963, when Las Vegas real estate developer Merv Adelson discovered the area during a horseback ride through the coastal foothills north of San Diego. Adelson looked down upon the empty valley and a vision of a resort and spa appeared to him. Adelson worked with partners to open La Costa in 1965 as the nation's first destination spa. The resort featured golf and tennis, catnip to its celebrity clientele like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bob Hope. A tennis camp for children at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, CA. The original 72-par, 7,200-yard golf course covered 215 acres. It hosted the CBS Golf Classic, with players including Sam Snead, Ray Floyd, Arnold Palmer, Bobby Nichols, and Jack Nicklaus. The Tournament of Champions had a 30-year run featuring the greatest golfers of the era, from Nicklaus to Tiger Woods. In 2024 a revamped North Course was completed, that hosts the NCAA Championships through 2028. Tennis was a draw for stars like Charlton Heston, Johnny Carson and Desi Arnaz, while The Spa provided relaxation for powerful people from Richard Nixon to Jackie Kennedy. But as Shakespeare put it in The Tempest, 'what's past is prologue.' Perhaps this summer you can make a little family history at La Costa. The Spa Courtyard at Night at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa, in Carlsbad, CA.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
College golf: BYU tumbles down the team leaderboard at NCAA Golf Championships
Saturday was an entirely forgettable day for the BYU men's golf team at the NCAA Men's Golf Championships at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's North Course in Carlsbad, California. The Cougars entered day tied for eighth in the tournament, but by the time it was over, they were in serious danger of missing the 15-team cut for Monday's final round of stroke play. Advertisement BYU shot a team score of 12-over 300 on Saturday, with no golfer playing the course under par. The Cougars played their 'third' round on Thursday rather than having to play on Sunday, and shot a 1-over 289 that day. That score will be added to the official team leaderboard on Sunday while the other squads are playing, meaning that the Cougars are at +14 through three rounds. Junior Tyson Shelley played reasonably well for BYU on Saturday, making a pair of late birdies to get in at 1-over 73. Sophomore Peter Kim posted a 74, while Simon Kwon had a 76 and Cole Ponich a 77. Senior Zac Jones, in what could have possibly been his final college golf round, posted a non-counting 85. Advertisement The four Cougars who posted counting scores Saturday combined to shoot +12 on the back nine at the par-72 course. Arizona State is atop the team leaderboard at -13, followed by Oklahoma (-10), Auburn (-8) and Florida (-5). If BYU had fired a +1 like it did in its first two rounds of competition, the Cougars would be somewhere around 10th place. After Sunday, the top 15 teams will play a fourth round on Monday and the top eight teams will then advance to the match play portion of the tournament. Other Utahns in the field Former Utah resident Preston Summerhays, playing for Arizona State, carded a 2-under 70 on Saturday after shooting a 74 on Friday. Farmington product Braxton Watts, representing the non-qualifying University of Utah, was +1 in his first nine holes on Saturday after shooting a 78 on Friday.
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 NCAA Div. I Men's Golf Championship predictions: Picks to win team, individual title
2025 NCAA Div. I Men's Golf Championship predictions: Picks to win team, individual title Show Caption Hide Caption Drone flyover video of Omni La Costa North Course par-3 16th hole Omni La Costa is hosting the NCAA mens and womens golf championships for a second year in a row. The North Course's 16th hole is the final par-3. CARLSBAD, Calif. — The 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championship is underway. Thirty of the top men's college golf teams from across the country are at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa's North Course in Carlsbad, California, battling it out for the right to become national champions. Auburn is the defending national champ, and the Tigers return to Omni La Costa as the No. 1 team in the country off a win at the NCAA Auburn Regional. But there are numerous teams looking to knock Auburn from the top, and in match play, anything can happen. But first, teams will battle it out over 54 holes of stroke play, where the top 15 teams advance to Monday's final round. After 72 holes, the top eight teams make match play. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be contested on Tuesday, with the championship match set for Wednesday. Here's a look at Golfweek expert predictions for which team will take home the trophy, who will win medalist honors and the eight teams who will make match play: 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championship: Team champion Lance Ringler, Golfweek College Golf Expert: Arizona State Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek Assistant Editor: Oklahoma State 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championship: Individual champion Lance Ringler, Golfweek College Golf Expert: Caden Fioroni, UNLV Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek Assistant Editor: Luke Clanton, Florida State 2025 NCAA Men's Golf Championship: Match play teams Lance Ringler, Golfweek College Golf Expert: Auburn, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Texas, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Illinois Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek Assistant Editor: Auburn, Oklahoma State, Texas, Arizona State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Virginia, Illinois
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Where La Costa Will Challenge The Top Men's College Golfers This Week
Grabbing a sandwich at the revamped La Costa North Course turn last month, my friend pulled up to the 9th green in the group behind us. When I asked how he was playing, he quickly responded 'This course is a grind.' Mind you, he's a decent golfer. But you know who's even better? Players in this week's 2025 NCAA Division 1 Men's Golf Championship at the Carlsbad, Calif. course, who will find out firsthand starting today. These young and strong golfers are gathering at the demanding 7,500-yard layout that opened last year as a Gil Hanse renovation with essentially the same routing but significant changes in elevation, filled-in water hazards, bunker and green alterations, and a toughened up veneer. Last year – and despite their prowess – these golfers still averaged a score of 75.25 per round. According to Golfstat, the toughest hole at last year's NCAA Championship was the 517-yard par-4 14th hole, where the nation's best college golfers averaged 4.48 shots. 'Hole 14 is such a great design,' says Dustin Irwin, PGA of America Golf Professional and Club Director at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. 'Off the tee, you have a creek that dissects the hole and offers you two landing areas. If you play to the right fairway, the landing area gets narrow. If you play to the left and lose it a little right or left, you can find water or OB. For me, the approach coming from the left fits my eye a little better. The green was moved about 30 yards to the right in the redesign, which brings the creek into play on the second shot. The hole is long and plays into the prevailing wind. It makes you think on every shot and there is little margin for error.' Speaking of wind, when Hanse removed all of those trees, it created wind tunnels around the property that can wreak havoc on shots. I've now played the layout roughly 10 times and can say it comes into play on half of the holes. The real key to scoring decently on La Costa North seems to be keeping the ball in the fairway. The rough can be punishing. But that's only the start of what can cause scores to skyrocket. 'Pre-renovation, the bunkers were the most difficult aspect of the course,' says Irwin. 'They had firm sand and steep faces, which is a tough combination. With about half the greenside bunkers removed and the remaining renovated, the sand is much more playable. The green complexes now have many closely mown areas, which gives players more options. They're also relatively small and have a lot of subtle breaks. The native areas (scrub areas beyond the shorter-cuffed rough) around the course can also be quite penal.' While 14 may be the most challenging to college golfers, that's not the case with everyday players who have flocked to this revamped course. 'The hardest holes for the NCAA do not necessarily align with our day-to-day players,' says Irwin. 'Two of our par-5 holes – holes 6 and 18 – consistently play the toughest on the course. And since the renovation, scoring has gone up. In fact, it's now ranked the second-most difficult course in Southern California, behind San Diego's Torrey Pines South Course.'
