Strong Start Puts Baylor MGOLF in Third on Day One at the Hackler

Sun Mar 16 16:14:15 CDT 2025

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS- March 16, 2025

Strong Start Puts Baylor MGOLF in Third on Day One at the Hackler
BU’s Heffernan paces the Bears with a 5-under 67 to share the overnight lead
For more information contact: Matt Roberts, 254-227-2280, WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu<mailto:WM_Roberts at Baylor.edu>

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Zach Heffernan and Davis Ovard spearheaded a strong effort for Baylor on Sunday, landing them in third on day one of the Hackler Championship at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club.

Ovard’s 4-under 68 was his lowest round since a 5-under 67 at the Kapolei Invitational last season, while Heffernan’s 67 was the second lowest of his career, and his best since a 66 at the Fighting Illini Invitational in September. The senior from Boerne, Texas, shares the overnight lead with Auburn’s Brendan Valdes, while Ovard is a shot back, tied for third with Kent State’s Isaiah Ibit.

BU’s 6-under 282 is just one shot back of second-place Duke and four-shots behind the first-round leader, Auburn.

THE RUNDOWN
Heffernan got off to a blistering start with four birdies on the front nine at Nos. 3, 4, 8 and 9 to turn with a 4-under 32. The senior reached six-under with two more birdies at Nos. 15 and 16, before a bogey at No. 18.

Ovard made an early bogey at No. 3 but bounced back with a birdie at No. 4 to turn at even. The sophomore caught fire on the second nine playing his first seven holes at 5-under, thanks to birdies at Nos. 10, 13 and 16 to go with an eagle at No. 15, his second of the season. He made a bogey at the last hole to drop back to 4-under.

Jackson Hymer made the most of his first collegiate round in the lineup, shooting an even-par 72 to end Sunday in a tie for 24th. Bogeys at Nos. 2, 6 and 7 dropped him to 3-over on the front nine, ahead of his first birdie of the day at No. 9. His birdie at the turn led to three more at Nos. 12, 13 and 16 before a final bogey at No. 17 dropped him into a tie for 25th.

Jonas Appel shot a 3-over 75 on an up-and-down day, ending the round in a tie for 57th. Appel shot an even-par front nine with bogeys at Nos. 2, 3 and 9, a birdie at No. 8 and an eagle at No. 4. Bogeys on three of his first five holes on the back nine dropped him back to 3-over, where he would stay with a birdie at No. 15 and a bogey at No. 18.

Drew Wrightson ended the day in a tie for 84th on the heels of a 7-over 79. Going out with a 6-over 42, Wrightson reeled it in with a 1-over 37 on the homeward half.

HIGHLIGHTS

  *   Baylor’s 282 on Sunday was its lowest single-round score this season
  *   Baylor joins Auburn as one of just two teams in the field to have two players in the top-5
  *   BU had two players shoot 68 or better in the same round for the first time since the second round of the Chapel Hill Regional last May
  *   The Bears led the field in par-3 (3.00) and par-5 scoring average (4.40) on Sunday
  *   BU’s two eagles tied for the most in the field
  *   Heffernan’s 67 was the third-best round of his career and his best since a second-round 66 at the Fighting Illini in Sept.
  *   Heffernan’s six birdies tied for the third-most in the field on Sunday
  *   Jonas Appel tied for the best par-5 scoring average in the field in round one

STAT OF THE DAY

-5 — Zach Heffernan’s opening-round 67 was his career-best score on a par-72 course

WHAT’S NEXT
The Bears will play alongside Auburn and Duke in the second round, beginning on Monday morning at 8:50 a.m. CT. A full list of tee times, live stats and scores can be found at Golfstat.com.<https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=29377>

For more information on Baylor Men's Golf, follow @BaylorMGolf on X, Instagram and Facebook.

—BaylorBears.com—

Matt Roberts | Director of Athletic Communications (MBB/MGOLF/ WGOLF)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 254-227-2280
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