Men's Golf | 4/26/2026 9:48:00 PM

ST. HELENA ISLAND, SC – Two North Carolina A&T men's golfers finished the first round of the 2026 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Men's Golf Championship Tournament in the top five on Sunday at the par-72, 6,764-yard Dataw Island Club.

Freshman Emilio Hernandez and sophomore Ignacio Zapata shot opening-round 4-under 68s to finish in a fourth-place tie with Campbell's William Sunborn and Towson's Sky Aung. Hernandez and Zapata are two shots off first-round leader James Rico of UNC Wilmington. Rico shot a first-round 6-under 66, entering the clubhouse with a one-stroke lead over Campbell's Erik Johannson and Towson's Arihau Faana, who both stand at 5-under 67.  

The Aggies are in seventh place after Sunday's action. A&T shot an even-par 288. UNCW leads the tournament at 12-under 276, followed by Campbell. The Fighting Camels are one shot off the lead with a first-round 11-under 277. Towson rounds out the top three after shooting a 10-under 278.

Hernandez started well on Sunday for the Aggies. He birdied two of his four holes, including a birdie on the par-5, 489-yard third and a three on the par-4, 344-yard fourth. He bogeyed the par-4, sixth, before ending the front nine with a par on seven, a par on eight, and a birdie on the par-4, 430-yard ninth. Hernandez finished the front nine with a 2-under 34.  

He started his back nine with a bogey on the par-4 10th before returning to birdie land by carding a three on the par 4, 359-yard 11th. Birdies on the par-5, 533-yard 13th and the par-3, 187-yard 16th got Hernandez to 4-under before he closed on 17 and 18 with pars. Zapata also started his round on a tear.

Zapata birdied the par-4, 309-yard first hole before bogeying No.2. However, he recovered to birdie No. 3. Zapata then started a string of four straight pars before birdieing the par-4, 356-yard eighth. He closed out the front nine with a par on No. 9 before making the turn and birdieing the 359-yard, par-4 11th. He also birdied 13 to move to 4-under for the round. Zapata dropped a shot with a bogey on the par-4, 15th before ending his round with a birdie on the par-5, 558-yard 18th.

Sophomore Javier Morgado is in a tie for 35th after the first round, posting a 3-over 75. He had  three birdies in the first round but got derailed by an eight on the par-4 sixth. Sophomore Pedro Pereira and graduate Drew Walker are in a tie for 41st. Both men shot a 5-over 77.

Play in the 2026 CAA Men's Golf Championship Tournament continues on Monday with the first tee time scheduled for 8 a.m.