Sophomore Jacob Modleski made history last week at the ACC men’s golf championship in Bowling Green, Kentucky, as he became the first Notre Dame men’s golfer to win the conference’s top prize: the ACC individual title. Modleski shot a lights-out 207 (-9) from April 24 to April 26, edging out Florida State’s Tyler Weaver by one stroke. The team finished in 10th place.
Modleski started off his week sitting at even par through his first 16 holes before sinking two late birdies, bringing his total to 70 (-2) through the first 18.
Modleski then heated up on day two. Despite bogeying on the third hole, Modleski managed to end the round with a superb 68 (-4) and first-place position on the leaderboard thanks to three birdies and an eagle on the 18th. Then, with a target on his back in round three, Modleski tallied two early bogeys. However, he did not fret. Modleski shot a 69 (-3) for the round, recording his tournament-best five birdies.
His historic day is a momentous feat for the program and marks a new era for the Irish. Notre Dame was eager to see who could take the reins as their star since Palmer Jackson graduated last season, and it’s safe to say that Modleski has delivered.
The Irish’s next best performance came courtesy of sophomore Rocco Salvitti. Salvitti finished with a 219 (+3) en route to a tied for 36th place result, highlighted by a 71 (-1) in round two.
Mike Qiu, Nate Stevens and Calen Sanderson finished tied for 53rd, 66th and tied for 69th, respectively. Qiu got better as the tournament progressed, shooting back-to-back 76s (+4) prior to shooting even in round three. He birdied eight times throughout the three days. Stevens, meanwhile, had his best day in round one, shooting 74 (+2). A few unlucky double bogeys through the next two rounds inflated his overall score to 231 (+15). Sanderson rounded things out for Notre Dame with a 75 (+3) round three, helping bring the Irish just ahead of Duke in the overall team standings.
With the result, Modleski firmly puts himself in the Notre Dame record books. Modleski and the rest of the team now await their postseason fate. The NCAA releases their postseason selections today at 2 p.m. on Golf Channel.
Regardless of the outcome, head coach John Handrigan’s squad can be proud of their fight shown in Bowling Green. Apart from Modleski’s brilliance, the Irish maintained a steady level of play and laid a great foundation for the 2026 season.
