Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Palmas Del Mar Collegiate
No. 25 Wake Forest Opens Spring Season in Puerto Rico
2/7/2026 3:55:00 PM | Men's Golf
Demon Deacons headline the field at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate to kick off the 2026 campaign
HUMACAO, P.R.- The Wake Forest men's golf team travels to Humacao, Puerto Rico for the Palmas del Mar Collegiate to open their 2026 spring schedule. Starting the spring season nationally ranked at No. 25, the Demon Deacons are the highest ranked team in the field of 14.
The Deacs are chasing their third team title of the season after claiming victories at the Bryan National Collegiate and the Highlands Invitational this past fall.
The Palmas del Mar Collegiate is three days, teeing off on Sunday, February 8th and concluding Tuesday, February 10th. Teams will play the first 18 holes on Sunday, February 8th, with tee times starting at 7:30 a.m. (ET).
Highlights from the Fall Season
As a team, the Demon Deacons picked up two team titles and two runner-up finishes over five tournaments this past fall season. Individually, Nicholas Prieto and Jorge Hao both claimed individual titles while the team has added multiple top-five finishes this season:
- Tom Haberer, T2 (-12), Highlands Invitational
- Tom Haberer, T2 (-3), Hamptons Intercollegiate
- Tom Haberer, T5 (-6), Bryan National Collegiate
- Jakob Melin, T2 (-11), Bryan National Collegiate
- Jakob Melin, 5th (-9), Bryson Invitational
- Kyle Haas, T3 (-10), Highlands Invitational
The Deacs' Lineup
At the Bryan National Collegiate, Prieto claimed his first collegiate title as a Demon Deacon with a score of 203 (-13), tying for eighth lowest 54-hole score to par in program history. Prieto secured his second top-10 finish of the season at the Hamptons Intercollegiate, tying for sixth on the individual leaderboard. Junior Nicholas Prieto earned a top-20 finish in his outing at The Bryson Invitational.
Junior Tom Haberer had a second place finish at the Hamptons Intercollegiate. This is the second-consecutive runner-up finish for the Hildesheim, Germany native this season and third top-5 finish in three starts. In his outing at The Bryson Invitational, Haberer posted a final round score of 70 (-2) to find himself tied for 12th place.
Jakob Melin picked up his second top-5 finish of his senior season, ending in fifth place at nine-under at The Bryson Invitational. Senior Jakob Melin ended the Hamptons Intercollegiate inside of the top 20 after having a pair of top-10 finishes to start the season.
In his outing at The Bryson Invitational, Haas posted a final round score of 70 (-2) to find himself tied for 12th place. Junior Kyle Haas claimed his second-straight top-10 finish at the Hamptons Intercollegiate and has ended the first four tournaments this season tied for 12th or better.
Sophomore Jorge Hao captured his first collegiate title, tying the fourth-lowest 54-hole score to par (since spring 1976) with a final score of 199 (-17). Hao's first victory was highlighted by three under-par rounds, including two consecutive rounds of 65 (-7). Leading by five strokes, Hao tallied an impressive 19 birdies and four bogeys over three rounds.
Playing as an Individual
Rodriguez started his career as a Deac with a top-10 finish at the Bryan National Collegiate, tying for eighth place at two-under.
Senior Boyd Owens had a season-best top-25 finish at the Highlands Invitational, ending the tournament T23 at four-over.
Freshman Maddux Cook had a season-best finish at the Bryan National Collegiate tied for 29th at seven-over par.
The Field
- Rutgers
- Michigan
- Austin Peay
- Boston College
- Delaware
- TCU
- Southern Illinois
- Eastern Kentucky
- Virginia Tech
- No. 25 Wake Forest
- Rhode Island
- UNCG (Host)
- Wofford
- Kennesaw State
Tournament Format
54-hole stroke play with 18-holes being played each day. The Palmas del Mar Collegiate is three days, teeing off on Sunday, February 8th and concluding Tuesday February 10th. Teams will play the first 18 holes on Sunday, February 8th, with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. (ET). The Deacs will be paired with players from UNCG, Virginia Tech and Rutgers.
Live Stats
Scoring for the Palmas del Mar Collegiate will be available via Scoreboard powered by Clippd
About the Course
Palmas Del Mar CC Flamboyan - Par 72 - 7,122 yds.
The Palm Course (narrow course) designed by Hall of Fame golfer Gary Player, offers a tournament-grade challenge for any avid golfer. The narrow front nine require precise shot-making ability, with water and wind testing the player's ability. The back nine play completely different as longer; wider more elevated holes allow you a moment to appreciate the beauty of this course while relaxing your vigilance just a bit. Holes #14 and #16 overlook the Caribbean and Vieques and allow the player to contemplate the wonders of nature.
Players Mentioned
