Bronco Spotlight: Matt Robles Represents on One of Golf's Grandest Stages

Matt Robles had dreamed of playing in the U.S. Open since he was seven years old. This summer, that dream became reality. As a 20-year-old rising junior at Santa Clara, Robles earned his way into the field at Shinnecock Hills and stepped onto one of golf’s grandest stages as an amateur.

“It was just kind of a dream come true,” he said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was like seven. To be able to do that as young as I am right now, as a 20-year-old going into my junior year of college, was absolutely unbelievable.”

The moment wasn’t just a personal milestone—it was the culmination of years of work, belief, and the support of the Santa Clara Golf community. With head coach Andrew Larkin on the bag, Robles lived out a week he’ll never forget, one that affirmed how far he’s come and how far he still wants to go.

The Stage of a Lifetime

A native of Downey, Calif., Robles arrived at Shinnecock for the 126th U.S. Open with wide eyes and a steady heartbeat. He soaked in every detail, from the storied clubhouse to the grandstands and the hum of a major championship week. “It honestly was the biggest golf accomplishment in my life so far,” he said. “And it’s hard to see how I’m going to top that in the years coming up. It feels like just the beginning, which is kind of cool.”

One of the surreal parts of the week came during practice rounds, where Robles played alongside fellow Bronco alum Matt McCarty and current PGA Tour pros Johnny Kiefer and Kevin Roy. “I played practice rounds with current tour pros,” he said. “That was just such a surreal experience to be out there with them.”

At one point, he found himself sharing the range with two of the game’s biggest names. “I hit next to Collin Morikawa one day, hit next to Jordan Spieth the other day,” Robles said. “It’s just kind of surreal to be able to be warming up next to those guys. I grew up watching them all and wanting to be like them.”

The moment he’ll remember most came in competition, when a putt dropped in front of a gallery gathered around his group. “I made a couple of putts in the second round where there’s probably like 200 or so people watching,” he said. “Just to hear the roar when that putt went in was pretty cool.”

Finding Calm in the Chaos

Being inside the ropes at a major can be overwhelming, but Robles, a two-time All-WCC performer, found comfort in familiar faces—and familiar values. He played all three practice rounds with McCarty and leaned on the perspective of a Bronco who had walked a similar path. “He is just such a down-to-earth good guy who happens to be one of the best golfers in the world,” Robles said. “I think that’s part of the reason why I wasn’t that uncomfortable out there, honestly. It just felt like I was out there with another one of the guys.”

Having Larkin by his side made the experience even more meaningful. “Coach Larkin’s definitely one of the big drivers of why I was even in that position in the first place,” he said. “He helped put me down a path that I trusted, and I know I could improve upon. There was also that element of trust—I trust Coach Larkin.”

That trust was built over two years at Santa Clara, where Robles learned to embrace the process and steady his mind when the stakes are high. “I stayed pretty patient that day,” he said of the U.S. Open qualifier. “Nothing really bothered me that early in the round. I just kind of knew that with that start, there needs to be some spot in the round where I get hot.”

With teammate J.P. Odland on the bag, Robles found that spark and closed with two birdies to clinch his spot at Shinnecock. “That was one of the most surreal moments of my life,” he said. “Being able to celebrate that with J.P. on the final green—I didn’t one, understand what I just did, and two, just being able to talk to family, talk to my parents, talk to friends and coaches and everything of that such, just to see what I just accomplished and be able to talk to them was one of the best feelings of my life.”

Representing the Broncos on Golf’s Biggest Stage

Walking the fairways in Santa Clara gear on Long Island, Robles felt the pride of representing his university across the country. “I really enjoyed being out there as a Bronco at Shinnecock,” he said. “It was kind of honestly funny to hear people yell ‘Go Broncos’ in about the furthest point away in the U.S. from Santa Clara.”

He credited the Bronco network for helping make the week possible, from alumni who supported him at the sectional qualifier to those who reached out with encouragement. “The Bronco network and the alumni there are truly amazing,” Robles said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for people like them.”

The experience also gave him clarity on what it takes to compete at the highest level—and the work still ahead. “It gave myself, even though I didn’t play the way I wanted to, a very good idea of what needs to be improved to be able to compete and win at that level,” he said. “Now I’m going into my last couple years of college, and I know what needs to be worked on to be able to move on to the next level.”

Building Toward What’s Next

Robles’ journey to Santa Clara began with a belief in the people and resources that could help him grow. “A lot of it was actually in part to the coaching staff that was there at Santa Clara too, because I want to play at the next level,” he said. “Coach Larkin was a huge part in the reason why I originally decided to come to Santa Clara.”

Two years later, he’s proud of how he’s developed—and even prouder of what the team has accomplished together. “I’m proud of the fact that I was the fourth WCC Freshman of the Year at Santa Clara,” he said. “I was all-conference in my first year, and then honorable mention last year. I’m especially proud of what we’ve been able to do as a team. We didn’t know what to expect, and we ended up being a regionals team.”

Through two years, Robles has already positioned himself among the top players in program history. In 66 career rounds, he's posted an average of 71.29 strokes - good for third-best all-time. As a freshman, he earned WCC Freshman of the Year honors and helped lead the team to just their third NCAA Regional. Last season, he was the team's top scorer at 71.06 strokes.

Looking ahead to his junior season, Robles is setting the bar high for himself and his teammates. “I want to be in the postseason with these guys for the next two seasons,” he said. “I want to be competing with them in high-level events, in high-pressure situations. I need to get lower, better, especially iron play and around the greens for me, and I need to return to a better state that I used to be as a putter.”

He’s energized by the group returning to campus and the newcomers joining the program. “I’m honestly very excited for this upcoming season,” Robles said. “I honestly personally think this is going to be our best season in history upcoming, and it really can’t arrive soon enough. I just want to start competing with those guys.”

For Robles, the U.S. Open wasn’t an ending—it was a beginning. It validated his belief in the work, the people, and the purpose that have carried him this far. “It feels like just the beginning,” he said. “I don’t feel like that’ll be my last U.S. Open as well.”