In-state bragging rights stayed in Boise after a competitive two-day showdown in the third annual Battle for Idaho, as the Boise State Broncos men’s golf team edged the Idaho Vandals 835-851 on April 20-21 at Hillcrest Country Club.
Coming into the matchup, the margin between the programs was already narrow on paper, with Boise State ranked no. 123 in the Scoreboard Rankings and Idaho sitting just behind at no. 134. Both teams also entered with momentum;: each had recorded two team wins and three top-three finishes on the season, setting the stage for a tightly contested continuation of a rivalry that has now traded victories since its inception, with Idaho winning in 2024 and Boise State taking the 2025 meeting.
From the opening round, Boise State established an edge that would ultimately prove decisive, led by a standout performance from Gavyn Knight. Knight delivered the low round of the entire dual and the most dominant individual showing across both squads, finishing eight-under overall and reaching 12-under through the first two rounds alone.
Luke Cushman also played a key role for Boise State, finishing two-under to give the Broncos multiple players under par. Behind them, the rest of Boise State’s lineup held steady enough to preserve the team advantage: Chase Gorder finished 1-over, Reese Knox posted 4-over, Ryan Meyer came in at 10-over, and Seth Jones finished 11-over.
The Vandals produced two under-par performances of their own, led by Josh McCartain, who finished 4-under to pace the team. McCartain was especially sharp early, going 5-under in the opening round and keeping Idaho within striking distance during the first day of competition. Samuel Johnson also contributed a strong effort, finishing 2-under to give Idaho another key sub-par score.
Beyond the top two, however, Idaho’s scoring separation created the gap that Boise State was able to exploit. Dalton Dean finished 5-over overall, though his round was highlighted by a standout 5-under second round that briefly swung momentum back toward the Vandals. Henrik Koglin ended at 9-over, Charley Simpson at 10-over, and Joe Sykes at 14-over, leaving Idaho without enough consistent support in the counting rotation to close the deficit.
By the final round on Tuesday, Boise State’s early advantage held firm, and the Broncos closed out the 16-shot victory.
With the regular-season dual complete, Idaho now turns its attention to the postseason. The Vandals’ next appearance will be at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Arizona, where they will compete in the Big Sky Conference Championship.