CGN Player Highlight and Interview: Mahanth Chirravuri’s Rise at Pepperdine
Pepperdine senior Mahanth Chirravuri has developed into one of the top players in college golf through consistency, experience, and a clear understanding of how he wants to improve. After beginning his career at USC, Chirravuri found the right fit at Pepperdine and has turned that move into one of the strongest success stories in the college game. He is currently ranked as No. 6 in Clippd, No. 15 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and No. 7 in the PGA TOUR U standings while continuing to position himself for the professional ranks.
What stands out most about Chirravuri is the combination of results and perspective. His record includes major junior wins, collegiate honors, and national level finishes, but his approach remains grounded in process, creativity, and constant improvement. That mindset has helped him become one of the anchors of a Pepperdine team that climbed from outside the national conversation into the top tier of college golf.
Career Highlights
PING All America Third Team in 2025
GCAA All America Third Team in 2025
Golfweek All America Honorable Mention in 2025
NCAA All Tournament Team in 2025
WCC Co Golfer of the Year in 2025
WCC Golfer of the Month in April 2025
All WCC First Team in 2024 and 2025
PING All West Region First Team in 2024 and 2025
Haskins Award Watch List in 2025 and 2026
Golfweek Preseason All American in 2025 and 2026
Preseason All WCC Team in 2025 and 2026
Ranked No. 6 in Clippd
Ranked No. 15 in WAGR
Ranked No. 7 in PGA TOUR U
Collegiate Results Snapshot
2025 to 2026 Senior Season
Named to the Haskins Award Watch List
Recognized as a Golfweek Preseason All American
Named to the Preseason All WCC Team
Tied for fifth at The Invitational at The Honors Course at 4 under
Tied for ninth at the DeSimone Invitational
Continued to factor near the top of national leaderboards
2024 to 2025 Junior Season
Played 40 rounds
Posted a 70.38 scoring average, the fourth best mark in program history
Recorded 23 rounds under par
Finished with seven top 10s and eight top 20s
Won WCC Co Golfer of the Year honors
Captured the WCC individual title
Earned NCAA All Tournament Team recognition
Finished tied for ninth at the NCAA Championship
Closed the season ranked No. 34 nationally
2023 to 2024 First Season at Pepperdine
Played 34 rounds
Recorded a 71.44 scoring average
Finished 18 rounds under par
Posted three top 10s and six top 20s
Runner up at the Saticoy Showdown
Qualified for NCAA Regional play
2022 to 2023 Freshman Season at USC
Named to the Pac 12 All Freshman Team
Earned All Pac 12 Honorable Mention
Led the team with a 71.97 scoring average
Recorded 10 top 25 finishes
Amateur and Junior Highlights
Two time Rolex Junior All American
First Team Rolex Junior All American in 2022
Reached No. 3 in the AJGA rankings
Ranked No. 1 in Arizona
Won the Arizona Amateur Championship
Won the AJGA Simplify Boys Invitational
Claimed individual honors at the Hogan Cup in 2022
Member of the Wyndham Cup team
Collected more than 20 JGAA victories
Tied for ninth in stroke play at the 2025 U.S. Amateur and advanced to match play
Finished third at the Pacific Coast Amateur
Placed sixth at the Sahalee Players Championship
Competed at the Western Amateur
Interview Highlights with CGN
Starting young and building through competition
Chirravuri said he started playing golf around age four or five and began competing in tournaments by age six. From there, his schedule kept growing. He played local and regional events early, then moved into state tournaments and national junior competition. By his early teens, he was fully immersed in AJGA events and other elite junior tournaments. That background gave him years of competitive reps and also let him grow up alongside many of the same players who are now competing at the top of the amateur and professional game.
Choosing college early and finding the right fit
He committed very young, around the start of high school, during a period when recruiting rules and visit opportunities made the process unusual. USC initially felt like the right decision because of relationships he had with coaches and players. But after coaching changes, Chirravuri reevaluated what mattered most. He said the biggest priority became getting better at golf, and that led him to Pepperdine, where he could work with Coach Michael Beard and Chris Zambri. He credited that move with helping both his game and his overall college experience.
Why the transfer worked
Chirravuri was direct about why Pepperdine clicked. He wanted a place centered on development, and Pepperdine’s recent track record made that appealing. He said he has improved since arriving and has genuinely enjoyed being around the team and coaching staff. The results back that up. Since transferring, he has emerged as a national contender and one of the most reliable players in the country.
Creative practice shaped his game
One of the clearest themes from the interview was how his junior golf environment in Arizona shaped him. Chirravuri explained that he did not grow up with the flashiest facilities, so he and his dad had to be creative. Rather than relying only on a range, he spent time on the course inventing wedge shots, creating different pin positions, and learning how to hit a variety of shots from different lies and situations. He said that experience gave him options under pressure. Instead of standing over a shot with no answer, he usually feels like he has seen a version of it before.
That approach also forced him to become more skilled. Since he often played against older and stronger players, he had to learn how to beat them in ways other than pure distance. He believes that environment, along with being surrounded by talented players in high school and at his home course, accelerated his growth.
Perspective on facilities and training
Chirravuri made it clear that elite development is not only about access to premium clubs or perfect practice grounds. In his view, intent matters more. He said practice becomes more valuable when every shot has purpose. That mindset helped him make the most of Arizona’s year round golf weather and taught him to experiment, learn, and build a deeper shot library.
Leadership and Pepperdine’s team growth
He also spoke about Pepperdine’s climb as a program during his time there. When he first arrived, the team was young and outside the national spotlight. Now, the Waves have developed into one of the top teams in the country. Chirravuri credited that rise to steady internal improvement, the work of teammates like Brady Siravo and Willie Walsh, and the influence of Coach Beard. Rather than relying on a dramatic roster overhaul, Pepperdine improved year by year, and Chirravuri has been central to that progress.
Goals for the rest of the season
For the team, his focus is clear: make match play and give Pepperdine a chance to compete for a national title. He said once a team reaches match play, anything can happen. Individually, his focus is less about forcing results and more about sharpening his process. He acknowledged the importance of the PGA TOUR U standings and the opportunity that system provides, but he emphasized trying to finish as high as possible by staying committed to steady improvement.
Looking ahead to the professional game
Chirravuri confirmed that he plans to turn professional after the college season. With his PGA TOUR U standing, amateur résumé, and continued improvement at Pepperdine, he is well positioned for that next step. He described the transition as coming quickly, with the next stage arriving almost immediately after graduation.
Coach Beard as a trusted presence
When asked about caddies, Chirravuri said his college coach has been the best one he could ask for. Coach Beard caddied for him at both U.S. Amateurs, and Chirravuri pointed to those experiences as especially valuable. It was another example of the trust and comfort he has found at Pepperdine.
Chirravuri’s story is built on more than rankings and finishes. It is about growth through repetition, creativity through limited resources, and long term development through the right environment. That formula has helped turn him into one of the best players in college golf and one of the more compelling names to watch as the season moves toward the postseason.