Jack Hearn head-hunted by University of South Alabama
Carrick-on-Suir's Jack Hearn
Carrick-on-Suir's Jack Hearn will transfer from McNeese University in Louisiana to the University of South Alabama - former alma mater of Gareth Maybin and Jonny Caldwell — for the start of the 2021-22 season.
When McNeese played in Houston earlier this year, the former Boys international was spotted by USA coach Ben Hannon, who felt he was the perfect addition to his squad.
"With the Covid year, we were looking to add a transfer to help balance out our roster between upper and lowerclassmen," said Hannan, who also coached Maybin and Caldwell. "We happened to be paired with McNeese in the final round at Houston this year, and I was very impressed with Jack's mental maturity along with his physical ability.
"He has good speed, sound technique and a solid short game. He has a consistent game and has shown the ability to score under par on many different types of golf courses.
"We are looking forward to Jack bringing his experience and success to our team and excited he'll be joining us next fall."
Hearn, who regards the move to South Alabama as "a dream come true", has two more years of college eligibility because he red-shirted the first year he went to McNeese and also had to sit out a year of competition due to Covid.
Carrick-on-Suir’s Jack Hearn
A top junior at Tramore Golf Club, Hearn played in all four spring events with the McNeese Cowboys, finishing in sixth place at both the Bayou City Collegiate Classic and Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational — while recording a 73.25 scoring average.
He ranked fourth in the league in stroke average and score against par after shooting par or better in six of 12 rounds highlighted by four scores in the 60s, picking up second-team All-Southland honours for those efforts.
He was a third-team All-Conference selection in 2018-19, his first season at McNeese, after ending up second on the squad with a 74.10 stroke average.
That included shooting par or below with a 71 on four occasions as Hearn posted his best result of the year — a tie for ninth place in the individual standings — to help the Cowboys claim the team title at the Louisiana Classics. He finished with a 75.53 scoring average as a sophomore as well.
Hearn won titles at junior level in the Munster Senior Schools and All Ireland Senior Schools Championships. He also placed sixth in Flight A at the European Boys Championship while representing Ireland.
He fired a five-under-par aggregate to finish second in the Munster Boys Amateur while also tying for second at the Connacht Boys Under-18 Open Championship, ending up fifth at the Ulster Boys Under-19 Open Championship to go along with a top-10 result at the Leinster Boys Under-18 Open Championship. He also tied for second at Ulster Boys Under-16 Open Championship.
He is the second individual set to join the programme in the autumn as the Jaguars signed Sweden's Kevin Dahlberg in November.
As well as Caldwell and Maybin, the University of South Alabama is also the former college of Eamonn Coghlan Jnr — son of the former Olympian and 1983 World 5,000-metre champion, Eamonn Snr.
Coghlan Jnr is now a teaching professional in Houston, Texas.
The golf facilities at the University of South Alabama are world-class, and its home course, Magnolia Grove, is one of the finest in the US.
Its most famous golf graduate is four-time PGA Tour winner Heath Slocum.
The move does not mean much upheaval for Hearn as his new home in Mobile is just a four-hour drive from his current base at Lake Charles.
