Men's Golf | 10/12/2025 10:53:00 PM
CARY, NC – The North Carolina A&T men's golf team dominated the 2025 SAS HBCU Invitational over the weekend, winning its second tournament of the fall in impressive fashion. In addition, the Aggies secured their second medalist of the fall.
Freshman Emilio Hernandez shot 5-under (65-70-70—205) to win the tournament by three strokes over North Carolina Central University's (NCCU) Jamal Hutchinson. Hernandez's 65 ties the program record with Javier Morgado and Diego Gonzalez for the lowest score in a round. Four other Aggies finished in the top-10, starting with sophomore Pedro Periera, who shot an even par (70-70-70) – 210. Morgado finished in a seventh-place tie at 6-over (72-78-66—216). Sophomore Mauricio Alvarado finished in a ninth-place tie at 7-over (72-72-73—217).
The Aggies won by 31 strokes over Arkansas-Pine Bluff on the par-70, 6,475-yard Prestonwood Country Club golf course. A&T shot a three-round, two-day 4-over (279-286-279—844). With the tournament looking in hand after the second round on Saturday, the Aggies still came out focused and left little doubt, shooting 1-under on Sunday to add an exclamation point.
Sunday marks the first time in program history that the Aggies have won two tournaments in one season. The Aggies had not won a tournament since 2021 before winning the Thomas W. Dortch Jr. Invitational in September. Now, they have two tournament wins in 18 days. They also have their second individual title winner in that same span.
Hutchinson tried to recover from shooting a 72 in the first round on Saturday to make a run at Hernandez by shooting 67 in the second round and a 69 in the third round. Still, Hernandez's 65 on Saturday was too strong to overcome. His front nine during the first round was incredible, opening the round with a three on the par-4, 382-yard first.
A bogey on two momentarily stopped his momentum before his terrific play continued. He birdied four more holes on the front nine, starting with a birdie on the par-5, 499-yard third. Hernandez then made a two on the par-3, 203-yard fifth before another two on the par-3, 137-yard seventh. He also birdied the eighth, a par-4 389-yard hole.
Hernandez closed his front nine with a par and opened his back nine with a bogey to move to the 11th at 3-under. For the second time in the first round, he posted back-to-back birdies as he birdied the par-4, 414-yard 11th and the par-3, 173-yard 12th. He closed the first round with six consecutive pars. Hernandez was 2-under on the course's five par 3s during the first round.
During Hernandez's second round, he came to No. 11 at 4-over before once again going on another hot streak. He birdied five of the last eight holes he played during the second round. He did bogey 18 but finished his round at even par. After shooting 3-over on the par-5, 542-yard 10th coming into the final round, he birdied the hole on Sunday to help him secure victory.
Periera made 12 birdies throughout the tournament, including six in the first round. Periera's teammate, Morgado, had an excellent Sunday. After shooting 10-over for the first two rounds, Morgado rebounded and shot 4-under during the third and final round. He started with a birdie on one and ended the front nine with a birdie on nine.
In between, he carded five pars and two bogeys. His back nine showed excellence. Morgado birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine and went bogey-free. Junior Camilo Marin, who has the Aggies' other win this season, also competed. He shot 18-over (81-79-72—232).
A&T's next competition will be on Wednesday, October 15, when they participate in the Aggie-Eagle Challenge at the Carlson Farm Course in Greensboro, NC. The Aggies' next multiple-team tournament is November 1-3 in the Fripp Island Collegiate hosted by USC Upstate in St. Helena Island, SC, on the Ocean Creek Golf Course.
