September 8, 2025 • by Adam Mackey GCAA / Images: Adam Mackey and Chris Keane/USA
Fresh off winning both of his Sunday matches for the victorious Team USA at the 2025 Walker Cup at Cypress Point Club, Notre Dame junior Jacob Modleski arrived in Grand Haven at 5 am ET Monday morning for his 2.06 pm ET tee time. The Noblesville, Indiana, native is T13 after carding three birdies and a one-over 72 in the first round at the 2025 Folds of Honor Collegiate.
“I was pretty happy with how I hit the ball,” said Modleski, who travelled 2,400 miles from the Monterey peninsula to be at American Dunes for a tournament that means a lot to him.
“This tournament is so special,” he said. “It’s clear that it’s more than a golf tournament. There’s nothing quite like playing taps in the middle of a round of golf, to stop and think about those who’ve sacrificed a whole lot more than I could even imagine for me to be here. It’s a special place.”
“It means the world to be able to play for your country and play at the Walker Cup," continued Modleski, who won two points at Cypress. "To get it done with those guys, it was just a phenomenal team to be a part of. I love every minute of it, but that being said, I love these (Notre Dame) guys a lot. This is my family and I’m happy to be back competing with them.”
Alabama and Notre Dame, the last two Folds of Honor Collegiate Men’s Champions, battled through a tight leaderboard all afternoon to hold a two-stroke lead after a pair of one-over 285s. All eight counting scores between the two are placed inside the top 24.
In the morning window, Kentucky sophomore Anastasia Hekkonen compiled six birdies, including five of her back nine, for a bogey-free 66 (-6) to lead the women’s field by five strokes. Baylor, led by freshman Amelia Wan’s one-under 71, hold a one-shot lead (+4) over Texas A&M after 18 holes. North Carolina (+7), Kentucky (+7), and Kansas (+9) are within five heading into Tuesday’s second round.