Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest Looks to Defend Title at Highlands Invitational
9/20/2026 7:29:00 PM | Men's Golf
The Deacs earned first place in 2025 after shooting 24-under.
WESTCHESTER, Ill. - Looking to defend both the team and individual titles from 2025, Wake Forest men's golf returns to the Highlands Invitational starting Sept. 21, held at the Chicago Highlands in Westchester, Ill.
Wake Forest is the sole ACC representative in the tournament and is facing nine new teams they have not seen this season.
Last Time Out
The Deacs competed at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio. The team finished 15th overall, with a 44-over.
Junior Jorge Hao finished in the top-50 with a nine-over through all three rounds. The Demon Deacons totaled 32 birdies throughout the entire tournament, with senior Nicholas Prieto supplying the most of the Deacs with eight.
Wake Forest at the Highlands Invitational
This marks Wake Forest's second consecutive appearance at the event. In 2025, the Demon Deacons won their second team title at the event, defeating East Tennessee State by eight strokes. Hao earned the individual champion with a 17-under. Senior Tom Haberer came in second behind Hao with a 12-under. In 2023, the Deacs tied with Missouri for the team championship, but Michael Brennan ('24) earned the individual title for the Deacs with a 12-under.
Wake Forest Lineup
Nicholas Prieto | Miami, Fla. | Sr.
Tom Haberer | Hildesheim, Germany | Sr.
Kyle Haas | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Sr.
Sage Bradshaw | Bluffton, S.C. | Fr.
Jorge Hao | Madrid, Spain | Jr.
Playing as Individuals
Maddux Cook | Wilmington, N.C. | So.
Rasmus Ditzinger | Täby, Sweden | Previous School: Fairfield | Jr.
Participating Teams (Rankings via Golf Channel Preseason Poll)
Wake Forest (29)
East Tennessee State
Toledo
Maryland
Indiana University, Bloomington
Coastal Carolina
Western Carolina
Louisiana
Eastern Michigan
College of Charleston (SC)
North Alabama
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Monday Tee Times off of Hole 1 (Live scoring via Scoreboard)
Course Overview:
Wake Forest is the sole ACC representative in the tournament and is facing nine new teams they have not seen this season.
Last Time Out
The Deacs competed at the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio. The team finished 15th overall, with a 44-over.
Junior Jorge Hao finished in the top-50 with a nine-over through all three rounds. The Demon Deacons totaled 32 birdies throughout the entire tournament, with senior Nicholas Prieto supplying the most of the Deacs with eight.
Wake Forest at the Highlands Invitational
This marks Wake Forest's second consecutive appearance at the event. In 2025, the Demon Deacons won their second team title at the event, defeating East Tennessee State by eight strokes. Hao earned the individual champion with a 17-under. Senior Tom Haberer came in second behind Hao with a 12-under. In 2023, the Deacs tied with Missouri for the team championship, but Michael Brennan ('24) earned the individual title for the Deacs with a 12-under.
Wake Forest Lineup
Nicholas Prieto | Miami, Fla. | Sr.
- 2026 NCAA Division I PING All-Region team
- Captured his first collegiate title as a Demon Deacon after shooting 203 (-13) at the Bryan National Collegiate
- Finished the 2025-26 season tied for the team-lead with a 70.65 average
- Earned a career low 66 (-6) at Palmas del Mar Collegiate
- Five top-ten finishes during the 2025-26 season
Tom Haberer | Hildesheim, Germany | Sr.
- WAGR Ranking: 166th
- February 2026 ACC Men's Golfer of the Month
- At the Palmas del Mar Collegiate, Haberer secured his first collegiate victory by two strokes with a 203 (-13)
- Finished second at the Hamptons Intercollegiate, marking his second runner-up finish of the year in 2025
Kyle Haas | Winston-Salem, N.C. | Sr.
- Delivered one of Wake Forest's lowest rounds of the 2025-26 season with a final round 65 at the Ford Collegiate
- Recorded 15 under-par rounds throughout the 2025-26 season
- Recorded three top-15 finishes during the fall 2025 season
Sage Bradshaw | Bluffton, S.C. | Fr.
- His first career start for the Deacs
- 2025 Beth Daniel Junior Azalea Champion
- Nationally ranked No. 33 in class of 2026
Jorge Hao | Madrid, Spain | Jr.
- Captured the title at the 2025 Highlands Invitational with a three-round score of 199 (-17)
- Hao finished 2026 with a 72.40 scoring average across 25 rounds
- Added a top-15 finish at the Steelwood Collegiate
Playing as Individuals
Maddux Cook | Wilmington, N.C. | So.
- His best finish came at The Prestige Individual, where he tied for 13th place
- In his postseason-debut, Maddux Cook counted two rounds of par or better for the Deacs. Carding 15 birdies over three rounds, the freshman finished inside the top-35 at even-par
- Cook finished the year with a 74.14 scoring average over 17 rounds
- Secured his first CGA win claiming the 56th North Carolina Junior Boys' Championship
Rasmus Ditzinger | Täby, Sweden | Previous School: Fairfield | Jr.
- Including the 2026 MAAC Championship, Ditzinger won four tournaments over the 2025-26 season with a total of eight top-three finishes in 11 events
- Unanimous MAAC Player of the Year and the individual MAAC Champion. He was previously named the Fairfield Athletics Men's co-Athlete of the Year in addition to an All-MAAC First Team selection.
- Ditzinger collected 2026 NCAA Division I All-Northeast Region honors from PING and the Golf Coaches Association of America.
- Making his Wake Forest individual debut
- 2026 First Team All-ASUN
- Posted a 70.4 scoring average in 2026
- His round of 63 tied Florida Gulf Coast's all-time single-round record and his 54-hole total tied for the lowest in program history
- Finished the 2026 season nationally ranked No. 179
- Qualified for his first PGA Tour Tournament at the Wyndham Championship in August 2026
- Opened the 2026 season with back-to-back top-25 finishes
- Carded a final-round 67 (-4) to match the team's low round at the NCAA Winston-Salem Regional in 2026
Participating Teams (Rankings via Golf Channel Preseason Poll)
Wake Forest (29)
East Tennessee State
Toledo
Maryland
Indiana University, Bloomington
Coastal Carolina
Western Carolina
Louisiana
Eastern Michigan
College of Charleston (SC)
North Alabama
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
Monday Tee Times off of Hole 1 (Live scoring via Scoreboard)
- Sage Bradshaw (8:50 a.m.)
- Kyle Haas (9 a.m.)
- Jorge Hao (9:10 a.m.)
- Tom Haberer (9:20 a.m.)
- Nicholas Prieto (9:30 a.m.)
Course Overview:
- Chicago Highlands - Westchester, Ill.
- Par 72: 7,500 yds
- The Chicago Highlands golf course is built on 270 acres, by far the largest plot of land in the area for an 18-hole course. It was designed by world-renowned architect, Arthur Hills, and features elevation changes of over 80 feet, dramatic views of the Chicago skyline, and a style that will make you feel you are playing a modernized links course in Scotland. Chicago Highlands is equipped with state-of-the-art drainage and irrigation systems, and world-class manicured greens. The total yardage ranges from 4,000 yards to almost 7,500 yards so it can accommodate kids and tour professionals alike. There are seven sets of tees and 11 different yardage choices, and rounds of golf are quick, challenging, and most of all enjoyable!
Players Mentioned
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Monday, September 21
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Friday, September 18