A Golfer’s Graduation: Mahanth Chirravuri and Brady Siravo Close Out Senior Year with WCC Crown and NCAA Regional Championship

For most Pepperdine seniors, graduation weekend means blue and orange regalia, turning the tassel, and a photo with the family on the Alumni Park lawn beside the vast Pacific coast. But golf teammates and recent graduates Mahanth Chirravuri ('26) and Brady Siravo ('26), were busy fulfilling a different tradition. 

Instead of crossing the graduation stage this May, the two were helping the men’s golf program reach its 24th West Coast Conference (WCC) crown. In the weeks that followed, the team won the NCAA Regionals, securing a spot at the NCAA Men's Golf Championships in what would be Chirravuri and Siravo’s final rounds as collegiate golfers.

“I wouldn't ever pass up an opportunity to compete with my teammates and do what I love," says Siravo. "Though it was hard for my parents to not see their son graduate and cross the stage, they know that I'd much rather be playing golf with my teammates."

And their hard work has paid off. Crediting team camaraderie for their drive to excel, Chirravuri and Siravo earned Top 25 PGA tour rankings and have gone pro this June. 

To the Fairways of Malibu

Tagging along with his father to local golf courses, Chirravuri found himself playing the game at 4 years old. From there, the future Pepperdine star athlete began playing in childhood tournaments, which progressed into junior circuits. In only the eighth grade, Chirravuri's talents drew a myriad of college recruiters, which led him to first commit to playing for the University of Southern California. 

Coach Beard and Chirravuri

But following his first year of college, Chirravuri made the decision to transfer to Pepperdine, drawn to study the game under Michael Beard, the University’s head men’s golf coach and seven-time winner of WCC Coach of the Year.

“I've seen a lot of players come through Pepperdine with a high level of success, so I knew this was the place to go,” Chirravuri says. “I figured that if I wanted to get great at golf, I probably had to learn from Coach Beard. I was drawn to his knowledge and experience of the game. He played at a high level professionally, so he coaches from that perspective.” 

Siravo’s path to Malibu also began when he was young. The son of a PGA professional who has owned a well-loved golf store for more than 20 years, Siravo stepped foot on the green very early. At first, Siravo’s dad lured him to the sprawling green course with the promise of french fries, slushies, and candy. Yet, Siravo says, the game itself quickly became the lure.  

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve seen golf as a never-ending puzzle,” Siravo says. “I love every moment of being challenged, whether I’m practicing or playing.” 

“I just have a curious mind when it comes to golf,” echoes Chirrivauri. “I love thinking about ways to improve my craft, and Pepperdine was the place to do that.” 

A spot under Coach Beard’s leadership also spurred the high school-aged Siravo to commit to Pepperdine. Following the pandemic, Chirravuri and Siravo met on Malibu soil, joining a team that would carry them to fairways across the nation. 

A Season for the History Books 

Brady Siravo

While spectators may only see the metallic trophies and beaming press releases, for any student- athlete the college experience involves much sacrifice. Missing lectures due to long-distance tournaments, walking into an 8 AM with sore calves, and completing homework on bumpy bus rides are all a guarantee. 

While managing the hurdles of being student-athletes—Siravo studied psychology and Chirravuri economics—the 2025–26 Pepperdine men's golf team delivered one of the most decorated seasons in recent memory, with Chirravuri and Siravo at the helm of its success. 

“Though they both have a natural feel for the game, Mahanth and Brady have never been afraid to put in the time,” says Coach Beard. “It’s been great to see how they’ve both matured throughout college, and their success isn’t surprising at all.” 

Siravo set the year’s momentum by winning the season-opening Sahalee Players Championship in September, considered one of the toughest courses the Waves play all year due to its towering evergreens and narrow fairways. Birdying the 17th hole in the final round to win by one stroke, it marked his second collegiate victory and announced, quite boldly, that this would be a senior year to remember.

In the 2026 WCC championship, Siravo was instrumental in the Waves' run, finishing two strokes short of his opponent in the semifinals, then clinching a decisive stroke in the final round against Oregon State. 

Mahanth Chirravuri

"Being well regarded comes with a lot of expectations, and we hunkered down as a team as 11 other teams came after us," says Siravo. "We knew we were going to come with everything we had, and that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park. But it's always nice to end up getting a win."

Chirravuri, meanwhile, was building a case for one of the most accomplished individual seasons in Pepperdine golf history. 

By season's end in May, he had claimed back-to-back WCC Player of the Year honors and won the WCC individual championship in a sudden-death playoff with an eagle on the first playoff hole. Sparking a furious momentum, Chirravuri also earned a PING First Team All-American selection, the gold standard of individual recognition in college golf, and was named a finalist for the Haskins Award, given annually to the top male collegiate golfer in the country. 

“I’ve gotten to play with some unbelievable teammates over my four years at Pepperdine, one of them certainly being Mahanth,” Siravo adds. “He pushed everyone on the team to higher levels of excellence.”  

Largely due to these successes, the work for these two golfers has only begun. 

From Graduates to Professionals 

Trading a graduation ceremony for drivers and nine irons proved all worth it for the two burgeoning professionals. What better way to close out a collegiate golf career than winning as WCC champions and placing at the NCAA championship tournament? 

Now leaving Malibu for elite courses across the nation, Siravo and Chirravuri will be in the company of men’s golf alumni who have found success in the professional circuit, such as Joe Highsmith, William Mouw, Andrew Putnam (’11), and Sahith Theegala (’20) who all have earned a PGA tour card and competed at the most competitive level. 

Wave's men's golf team securing a spot in the NCAA championships

Following the path of their Pepperdine predecessors, both Chirravuri and Siravo have since qualified for development tours that serve as pathways to the upper echelons of professional golf. Siravo has qualified for PGA Tour Americas, where standout players earn promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. Meanwhile, Chirravuri gained entry to the Korn Ferry Tour, which is the next step to the US-based PGA Tour for top competitors. 

Yet, beyond preparation for the golf course, the two graduates consider Pepperdine’s men’s golf program to have brought forth and witnessed their character development. In a generation accustomed to instant gratification, Chirravuri and Siravo came to value the time and commitment required to mature both on and off the course. 

And often, this personal development came by way of community, of brotherhood. 

“My coaches and teammates at Pepperdine, including Brady, helped me to find a purpose—who I am—outside of golf,” says Chirravuri. “All of my favorite memories are of just hanging out with the team, traveling, dinners, whatever it may be. . . that stuff sticks with you,” Siravo adds.

As Chirravuri and Siravo leave a legacy of success, our men’s golf program looks forward to exciting program developments, including a new golf clubhouse set to open this September. Past, present, and future, the success of these Waves golfers sets a momentum for continued greatness. 

"It's a blessing to be able to live out my dream and get a chance to do what I've always hoped to do as a professional athlete," says Siravo. "Now it's off to the races."

Learn more about men’s golf at Pepperdine