Kannapolis, NC – As a junior golfer, Jhared Hack was one of the country’s top players, claiming wins at the 2006 Western Junior and 2007 Western Amateur – a rare double in amateur golf. As a professional, he won his first title at the eGolf Tour’s Snap Fitness Open in 2009. In 2010, the steady progression has continued with a stellar performance at the sixth annual Southern Open and his second tour title.

Pictured: Jhared Hack and Irish Creek Director of Golf Alan Cress

Hack entered the final round trailing 54-hole leader Todd Murphy by two shots following rounds of 66-67-68—201 over both The Club at Irish Creek and Warrior Golf Club. When Murphy stumbled out of the gates in Saturday’s round at Irish Creek, Hack made his final-round move.

Murphy, a former PGA TOUR caddie playing in the final pairing for the first time on the eGolf Tour, bogeyed Nos. 1 and 3 to immediately give back his overnight lead to the field. It was then that Hack began to make up ground. Birdies on 1, 3 and 6 took him to 15-under for the event and in a tie for the lead with fellow playing partner Martin Ureta – who posted birdies at Nos. 5 and 6 to match Hack.

After making the turn at 3-under 32, Hack went on a birdie barrage starting at the par-4 10^th. Four consecutive birdies on 10, 11, 12 and 13 vaulted Hack to the top of the leaderboard at 19-under for the event and into a two-shot lead over Ureta and tour rookie Josh Gallman, who was playing in the group ahead of Hack and was 7-under on his final round.

For Hack, all the leaderboard movement good and bad would be news to him. During the final round, the talent-laced kid from Sanford, FL refused to look at a single board.

“I tried to stay away from looking at the leaderboard and just tried to go play the best golf I could,” said Hack. “I birdied Nos. 1 and 3 and from there just tried to stay patient.”

Patience was certainly able to persevere throughout much of the final round, but the closing four holes at the Davis Love III-designed Club at Irish Creek were constructed to test even the best of players, and Hack was certainly no exception.

“Those are four good holes to finish. I was just trying to hit it in the right spots,” he said. “I hit a bad drive on 16 and wasn’t able to get up-and-down from next to the green, so that bogey added some pressure.”

The bogey at 16 reduced Hack’s lead to one shot over Gallman, who was in the clubhouse with a posted 72-hole total of 17-under 267 following a final-round 64. A well-timed up-and-down par at the par-4 17^th kept Hack’s lead at one heading to the 229-yard par-3 18^th, which was conveniently playing straight into a 20-mph wind.

With a sizeable crowd looking on, Hack managed to thread a fairway wood between the towering pines flanking the arduous closer to set up a possible tournament-winning two putt.

“I choked up on a 3-wood and tried to hit the center of the green. I pulled it a bit, but I was glad it caught part of the green,” said Hack, who rolled his 40-foot birdie putt 3 feet past the hole. “After my first putt sailed past the hole, I was glad I hadn’t looked at a leaderboard because I was pretty calm over that putt. I had no idea it was for the win.”

As the saying goes, ignorance is certainly bliss, and it was for Hack as he calmly stood over the putt to win $34,726 and rolled it into the back of the cup, not knowing he had won.

“This is huge for me,” said Hack, who had admittedly struggled some with his game this year. “It’s hard for me to put into words right now, to be honest.”

Hack’s win moved him to No. 7 on the 2010 money list with earnings of $52,990.

Gallman, a Gaffney, SC native who recently finished a standout career at USC-Upstate, put on quite a show in his first eGolf Tour start. After a first-round 71 at Irish Creek and a 1-over-through-four start to his second round at Warrior, Gallman played bogey-free golf for the remaining 50 holes of the tournament, posting three follow-up rounds of 66-66-64 to grab solo second honors. He earned $18,240 for his play this week.

Ureta, a native of Chile now living in Chapel Hill, NC, finished in solo third at 15-under 269. Needing a strong finish to catch Hack, Ureta struggled down the stretch with bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18 to close with a final-round 69. He earned $14,335 in just his sixth start of the season. The finish marked Ureta’s third top-5 effort on the year.

Tadd Fujikawa of Honolulu, HI finished in fourth after tying the low final round with a 8-under 64 to finish at 14-under 270. Fujikawa’s round, which featured six consecutive birdies on Nos. 2-7, could have been even lower had it not been for an untimely double-bogey at the par-3 eighth on Saturday. He earned $11,271 on the week, in turn marking his largest paycheck of the season.

For the 20-year-old Hack, the 2010 season has been full of ups and downs, but it was an experience in March that allowed him to grow up quickly and mature into one of developmental golf’s best players.

On March 12^th of this year, Hack was awarded with an exemption into the European Tour’s prestigious Trophée Hassan II in Rabat, Morocco. Granted the exemption by the Trophée Hassan II de Golf (ATH), Hack’s status as one of the top young players in America was elevated when his game would be tested overseas by some of the European Tour’s best players.

“That was an incredible trip, I really learned a lot,” said Hack, who finished 64^th following rounds of 71-68-76-79. “It’s nice to know you can go out and play with the European Tour guys and hold your own.”

The experience of playing alongside some of the game’s top performers in arguably one of the most beautiful locations on Earth took Hack’s confidence to a new level. There was no longer a sense that he could hopefully compete. At that point, the kid with the eyes wide open knew he could.

“I learned that you really have to play your game and play to your strengths. You can’t worry about what everyone else does; all you can focus on is what you do best,” said Hack. “At the end of the day, players on the European Tour put their pants on the same way we do.”

In the third round of the Trophée Hassan II, Hack was paired with 2009 Maybank Malaysian Open champion Anthony Kang. Throughout much of that round, Kang graciously took it upon himself to help Jhared with advice on life and golf, and how best to approach each week

“I got to play with Anthony, who won on the European Tour last year,” Hack said. “He talked with me during the round, and he was giving me good advice. He told me it’s a long journey and you just try to improve each week. Regardless of how well you’re playing, you’re not going to win each week and there are times that you need to just learn and move on.”

For an American-born golfer from tiny Sanford, FL, a trip across the Atlantic to Morocco could seem like quite the undertaking, but Hack credited the ATH with assisting him with all of his needs from the moment he stepped on the plane.

“The whole experience in Morocco was really cool,” said Hack, who returned in June to compete in the Challenge Tour’s Moroccan Golf Classic. “The ATH was really welcoming to us and they made us so much more comfortable over there. They literally went out of their way to ensure that we were treated well, and I can honestly say their dedication to making us feel at home was second to none.”

For Hack, a Florida kid who spent one semester at the University of Central Florida before turning professional, learning to travel abroad and the preparation involved was a lesson that is hard to mimic stateside.

“I have to give a lot of credit to all of the European guys traveling each week, changing currencies, changing countries,” he said. “You learn quickly how to travel like a professional and prepare when you’re playing overseas. I learned so much from my time in Morocco and I think it definitely helps you when you come back to the States. It certainly made me a better player.”

At the fresh age of 20, Hack was able to take an experience, learn from it and apply it towards a second career win. Graced with talent and a newfound global outlook on the game, Hack may just be beginning to tap into his potential       

 Southern Open at The Club at Irish Creek, Par 71; 7,099 yards Warrior Golf Club; Par 71; 6,609 yards -  Final Golf Results

1. Jhared Hack, Sanford, FL, $34,726.00, *66-67-68-65-266 -18

2. Josh Gallman, Gaffney, SC, $18,240.00, *71-66-66-64-267 -17

3. Martin Ureta, Chapel Hill, NC, $14,335.00, *71-63-66-69-269 -15

4. Tadd Fujikawa, Honolulu, HI, $11,271.00, *69-69-68-64-270 -14

5. Trevor Fisher, Arlington, TX, $8,699.00, *65-65-75-66-271 -13

5. Jerry Richardson, Raleigh, NC, $8,699.00, *71-67-66-67-271 -13

7. Hank Kim, Jonesboro, GA, $5,413.50, *67-70-67-68-272 -12

7. Taylor Hall, LaGrange, GA, $5,413.50, *67-68-69-68-272 -12

7. Matt Hendrix, Greenville, SC, $5,413.50, *65-67-71-69-272 -12

7. Derek Fathauer, Jensen Beach, FL, $5,413.50, *68-66-69-69-272 -12

11. Ben Martin, Greenwood, SC, $4,034.33, *69-68-69-67-273 -11

11. Edward Loar, Dallas, TX, $4,034.33, *67-71-67-68-273 -11

11. Alex Hamilton, Aiken, SC, $4,034.33, *68-68-69-68-273 -11

14. Martin Catalioto, Ramsey, NJ, $3,256.25, *68-70-69-67-274 -10

14. Reid Edstrom, Auburn, AL, $3,256.25, *70-68-68-68-274 -10

14. Matt Mincer, Knoxville, TN, $3,256.25, *69-66-67-72-274 -10

14. Todd Murphy, Phoenix, AZ, $3,256.25, *68-65-66-75-274 -10

18. Clint Jensen, Jupiter, FL, $2,900.00, *72-66-66-71-275 -9

19. Fielding Brewbaker, Salem, VA, $2,704.83, *69-70-68-69-276 -8

19. Matt McQuillan, Canada, $2,704.83, *67-68-71-70-276 -8

19. Danny Ellis, Heathrow, FL, $2,704.83, *65-74-67-70-276 -8

19. Daniel Woltman, Beaver Dam, WI, $2,704.83, *72-66-67-71-276 -8

19. Ryan Blaum, Coral Gables, FL, $2,704.83, *72-66-67-71-276 -8

19. Adam Mitchell, Atlanta, GA, $2,704.83, *67-71-74-64-276 -8

25. Joel Hendry, Bluffton, SC, $2,345.33, *71-68-68-70-277 -7

25. Tommy Biershenk,Boiling Springs, SC, $2,345.33, *72-66-70-69-277 -7

25. Joey McLister, Scottsdale, AZ, $2,345.33, *69-67-72-69-277 -7

25. Jeremy Pope, Pawleys Island, SC, $2,345.33, *66-67-75-69-277 -7

25. David Robinson, Sandersville, GA, $2,345.33, *73-66-66-72-277 -7

25. Christopher Cannon, Davenport, FL, $2,345.33, *68-70-66-73-277 -7

31. Kevin Silva, Charlotte, NC, $2,061.00, *75-64-70-69-278 -6

31. Corey Nagy, Charlotte, NC, $2,061.00, *67-72-72-67-278 -6

31. Drew Weaver, High Point, NC, $2,061.00, *68-70-75-65-278 -6

34. Kyle Bradley, N. Augusta, S.C., $1,805.12, *69-67-71-72-279 -5

34. Christopher Ross, Ontario, Canada, $1,805.12, *69-69-69-72-279 -5

34. Brian Duncan, Mount Pleasant, SC, $1,805.12, *72-66-70-71-279 -5

34. Fernando Mechereffe, Charlotte, NC, $1,805.12, *70-69-67-73-279 -5

34. Matt Cannon, Statesville, NC, $1,805.12, *70-67-72-70-279 -5

34. Colton Turnquist, Bradenton, FL, $1,805.12, *64-72-73-70-279 -5

34. Bruce McDonald, Mount Pleasant, SC, $1,805.12, *68-71-70-70-279 -5

34. Patton Kizzire, Tuscaloosa, AL, $1,805.12, *72-67-71-69-279 -5

42. Greg Pieczynski, Kingston, PA, $1,523.00, *70-67-71-72-280 -4

42. Phillip Mollica, Anderson, SC, $1,523.00, *68-68-73-71-280 -4

42. Colin Biles, Columbus, OH, $1,523.00, *69-68-68-75-280 -4

45. Ashdon Woods, Scottsdale, AZ, $1,368.17, *68-70-70-73-281 -3

45. Chris Gallagher, Charlotte, NC, $1,368.17, *71-66-72-72-281 -3

45. Raymond Franz, Mt. Pleasant, SC, $1,368.17, *68-70-68-75-281 -3

45. Chris Scialo, New City, NY, $1,368.17, *67-71-72-71-281 -3

45. Jimmy Lytle, Ocean Ridge, FL, $1,368.17, *69-69-72-71-281 -3

45. Paul Brown, Hartsville, SC, $1,368.17, *71-67-74-69-281 -3

51. Chris Epperson,Hilton Head Island, SC,$1,244.00,*67-72-67-76-282 -2

51. Michael Blodgett, Charlotte, NC, $1,244.00, *68-69-73-72-282 -2

51. Matthew Swan, Montgomery, AL, $1,244.00, *70-68-75-69-282 -2

54. Greg Sweatt, Irmo, SC, $1,213.33, *68-70-69-76-283 -1

54. Peter C. Campbell, Reunion, FL, $1,213.33, *71-68-71-73-283 -1

54. Joe Daley, Scottsdale, AZ, $1,213.33, *68-71-71-73-283 -1

57. Jay Haas Jr, Greenville, SC, $1,195.00, *68-68-74-74-284 E

57. Drew Stoltz, Scottsdale, AZ, $1,195.00, *68-71-73-72-284 E

59. Andy Bare, West End, NC, $1,175.00, *71-67-72-76-286 +2

59. Ryan Zebeau, Cedartown, GA, $1,175.00, *70-69-74-73-286 +2

61. Paul Butler, Gaffney, SC, $1,160.00, *69-70-73-75-287 +3

62. Tyler Todd, Concord, NC, $1,150.00, *70-69-76-77-292 +8

63. Wes Stonestreet, Frisco, TX, $1,145.00, *73-66-73-81-293 +9

DQ. Hugh Royer III, Myrtle Beach, SC, $1,137.50, *-4

DQ. Keith Guest, Augusta, GA, $1,137.50, *-3

MDF. Jonathan Turcott, Raleigh, NC, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Adam Cohan, Savannah, GA, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Tommy Schaff, Savannah, GA, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Reed Darsie, Chapel Hill, NC, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Tyrone Mordt, Arlington, TX, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Brett  Munson, Evans, GA, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Nathan Stamey, Bluffton, SC, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Eric Lipson, Lilburn, GA, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Frank Adams III, Salisbury, NC, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Lee Williams, Alexander City, AL, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Michael Henderson, Orlando, FL, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Tyson Alexander, Gainesville, FL, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Tim Martin, Charlotte, NC, $475.00, *-2

MDF. Braxton Hunter, Rockford, TN, $475.00, *-2

+ eGolf Tour Media Release