Jack Hearn goes wire to wire for maiden collegiate win in Alabama

Tramore Golf Club’s Jack Hearn was thrilled to clinch his maiden US collegiate win with a wire-to-wire triumph in the Craft Farms Intercollegiate in Alabama.

It was a home game for his college team, the South Alabama Jaguars and he was hugely impressive en route to a four-stroke victory on 13-under par.

Hearn shared the first-round lead with Matthis Besard from the University of Illinois, coming home in four-under 32 en route to an opening five-under 67 at Craft Farms Golf Club.

Jack Hearn with his trophy yesterday

He then edged a shot ahead on 11-under as he followed a bogey at the second hole with birdies at the third, sixth, seventh, eighth, 13th, 15th and 17th in a second-round 66.

In the final round, he followed a birdie four at the third with a double-bogey at the 184-yard fourth.

But he was not fazed and rallied with birdies at the seventh, 16th and 18th to card a two-under 70 and win by four strokes from Besard on 13-under.

South Alabama won the team event by 23 strokes from South Illinois and Georgia State on 23-under par.

A native of Carrick-on-Suir, Hearn (23) is coached by Michael Collins — the Mallow-based PGA professional who helped James Sugrue win the Amateur Championship in 2019.

He played all his junior golf at Tramore Golf Club and represented the Irish U16s before going on to play for Ireland at Boys level, making the teams for the Quadrangular Internationals, the Boys Home Internationals and European Boys Championship.

After winning the All Ireland Senior Schools with De La Salle Waterford in 2017, he went on to win the Munster Boys Order of Merit and encouraged by Rober MacIntyre, who has Waterford connections through his former caddie Greg Milne, he signed for McNeese State University in Louisiana before transferring to South Alabama, alma mater of Gareth Maybin and Jonny Caldwell, for the start of the 2021-22 season.

He now has one win, three top 10s and two top 20s since he made the move,