GREENSBORO, N.C. – Freshman standout Kelvin Hernandez of the UNC Greensboro (UNCG) men's golf team will make program history this week as the first Spartan to compete in the NCAA Division I Championship.
 
Hernandez finished as the top individual not on an advancing team at the NCAA Regionals on Wednesday, May 15 at The University of Texas Golf Club to advance to the NCAA Championship. He finished in a tie for third place for his best career finish, while it was the best finish in program history for UNCG at the NCAA Division I Regionals. The Caguas, Puerto Rico, native recorded rounds of 67-72-68 for an overall score of six-under-par (207) at the Austin Regional. His first-round score of 67 tied his best career round score, marking his third time carding his best low finish this season.

"It's an amazing feeling knowing that I'm the first Spartan to ever play in an NCAA National Championship," stated Hernandez. "Being able to play in the National Championship will be a new and amazing experience for me which will help me to develop my game and learn a lot of new things throughout the whole week. And hopefully I'm not the only Spartan in the next couple of years to make it to the championship."  

Hernandez was tabbed as The Southern Conference (SoCon) Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team, the league office announced prior to the Championships. 

 "Getting SoCon Freshman of the Year was an amazing achievement because getting an award as a freshman has helped me gain confidence and it helped me to play well in Regionals." 

The last time a Spartan was credited the SoCon Freshman of the Year was in the 2018 season when UNCG standout Nick Lyerly earned the mention. UNCG last saw a Spartan on the All-Freshman Team in the 2021 season when Symon Balbin was named to the list.
 
Hernandez carded a 72.52 average with 2,103 strokes in 29 rounds of play during the 2023-24 season, including the SoCon Championship. The freshman's best finish in the regular season came in a tie for ninth place, which he did on two occasions. First, at the Sea Island Invitational with rounds of 75-72-71 and then again at the Stitch Intercollegiate with rounds of 73-73-74. Hernandez' best round score of the season was recorded twice in the regular season with a five-under-par (67) at the Palmas del Mar Collegiate and the Quail Valley Invitational. 

"I was feeling pretty good heading into the conference championship and my game was getting much better. I had a bad first round but after that I played two solid rounds so that helped me get Freshman of the Year."

The freshman has also made successful appearances outside of UNCG during his freshman season. Hernandez finished as the runner-up at the Michelob Ultra Tour Championship this past December to earn a debut appearance in the PGA Tour. He finished the Michelob Ultra Tour Championship with an 11-under-par (205) with rounds of 69-66-70 in the three-round tournament. He made his PGA Tour debut from Thursday, March 7 to Friday, March 8, 2024, in the Puerto Rico Open at the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Hernandez shot rounds of 74 and 80 at the tournament to earn a final score of 10-over-par (154) in the two rounds.

In addition, Hernandez finished tied for 14^th at the Pan American Games after competing in one round each day from Thursday, Nov. 2 to Sunday, Nov. 5. He captured a six-under-par (282) finish in the four-round competition with scores of 74-71-68-69.

"Playing in big profile tournaments helped me a lot during regionals because I just told myself I've been in this position before. I was playing really well the whole week so I just kept my focus and composure throughout the whole week."

Prior to UNCG, Hernandez had won over 120 tournaments, he was the Champion of the Caribbean Junior and Amateur 2021, member of the PR Golf National Team Junior and Amateur and had a World Amateur Golf Ranking of 350. 

"Golf means a lot to me. I've been playing golf since I was seven and when I was ten I had to decide between soccer and golf and I decided to stay with golf. I really love this game and it brings the best out of me. I found the passion of this game through my dad which has helped me become the man I am today."

Hernandez will compete in the 2024 NCAA Championship from Friday, May 24 to Monday, May 27 hosted by the University of Texas at Austin and held at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.