Newsday's top 10 high school boys golfers for 2026
Clockwise from top left: Colby Baran, Joe Boron, Alessandro Maltese, Ryan Liu and Zach Berger.
Akash Agarwal, Friends Academy, Sr.
Agarwal tied for seventh in the 2025 state tournament, then tied for 13th in the Federation tournament as the lone participant from Section VIII. Coach Bob Kaible called the Middlebury commit “a fierce competitor. Just hits the ball a ton. He’s got an awesome swing. He hits it over 300 yards.”
Jacob Andersen, St. Anthony’s, Sr.
Anderson tied for second in the NSCHSAA tournament and tied for 32nd in the state CHSAA tournament last season. He then tied a program-record by going 5-under par in a nine-hole match in March, shooting a 31 at Eisenhower White. Coach Quintin Volpe feels he’s “super consistent and has a great competitive mindset.”
Colby Baran, Riverhead, Sr.
Baran, a top-three finisher in the Suffolk tournament as a sophomore and junior, tied for eighth at the county event in the 2025 fall season. Baran, who was an All-Long Island selection as a sophomore, tied for 30th in the state tournament last June and can hope for higher this June. “Colby’s been one of the best golfers in the county for the last five years, the last three years qualifying for the states,” coach Steve Failla said. “He’s looking to leave his mark his senior year.”
Zach Berger, Westhampton, Sr.
Berger shot 69 and 74 to tie for fifth in the 2025 state tournament, followed by a second-place Federation showing. Then he repeated as the Suffolk champ in October. The Loyola (Maryland) commit, a sixth-year varsity player, a two-time All-Long Island pick and the 2025 Newsday Golfer of the Year, will compete again in the state tournament. “If Zach plays well, I think he’s the best kid in the state, and we’re hoping he’s going to take home the title,” coach Fred Musumeci said.
Joe Boron, St. Anthony’s, Soph.
Boron, en route to All-Long Island status, tied for second in the NSCHSAA tournament, then even more impressively finished as the runner-up for the state CHSAA championship before tying for ninth in the Federation tournament. “His explosiveness and accuracy are key qualities,” coach Quintin Volpe said.
Ryan Liu, Manhasset, Fr.
Liu placed fifth in the Nassau tournament and tied for 30th in the state tournament as an eighth-grader. He shot a 75 at Bethpage Black as a seventh and eighth grader in the team’s Long Island championship victories. “He hates to lose,” coach Mike Tarnowski said. "I think that definitely makes him work harder. Like if he misses a 5-foot putt for birdie, he’ll spend an hour on the green just putting, trying to grind it out.”
Alessandro Maltese, Chaminade, Sr.
Maltese tied for fifth in the NSCHSAA tournament, then finished third in the state CHSAA championship tournament before tying for 13th in the Federation tournament. Coach Greg Gerner expects the 2025 All-Long Island golfer to “show our top sophomores how to lead and bring this team to the next level together.”
Clockwise from left: Charles Nevin, Harry Wolk and Ethan Yao.
Charles Nevin, Friends Academy, Sr.
Nevin, a 2025 All-Long Island choice and Williams commit, carded a 1-under 71 on Bethpage Green and a 2-under 68 on Bethpage Red to win the Nassau championship, then tied for 30th at the state tournament. “I just was playing with him [recently]; he drove the green, a 340-yard shot,” coach Bob Kaible said. “He just plays a completely different game from everybody else. He’s got all the talent in the world.”
Harry Wolk, Half Hollow Hills West, Sr.
Wolk tied for second in the Suffolk tournament in October, his third top-five finish in the event, and became the first three-time state qualifier in Chuck Bartolotta’s 25 years as coach. Bartolotta praised the five-year varsity veteran — who set a state tournament single-round record with nine birdies last June when he tied for 13th — for being “so long off the tee; it’s just ridiculous.”
Ethan Yao, Manhasset, Fr.
Yao posted the Nassau tournament’s low round as an eighth-grader competing in his second varsity season, carding a 3-under 67 on Bethpage Red to place second and help Manhasset repeat as the team champ. Then the All-Long Island honoree tied for 38th at the state tournament. “He works hard,” coach Mike Tarnowski said. “He’s very hard on himself but in a good way. His mentality is, ‘I can make anything.’ ”
