As the Virginia men’s golf team gears up for its final competitive rounds of the fall season this weekend at the CSU Kiawah Classic in Kiawah Island, South Carolina, the Cavaliers are looking to junior Derek Bard to lead the squad to a strong finish.
A native of New Hartford, New York, Bard has held onto a big dream since he was a child: to become a professional golfer. Based on his recent play, he is well on his way.
After finishing his sophomore year ranked the 65th-best collegiate golfer in the country by Golfweek, Bard’s junior year has been transformative. He has emerged as the face of the Cavaliers, filling the void left by former All-American and now-professional golfer Denny McCarthy, who graduated last spring.
His play has been fantastic — his team-best 71.5 stroke average, half a stroke under par, has placed him in the top 25 individually in each of Virginia’s first four fall tournaments and in the top 10 twice. Once already this fall, he topped an event’s individual leaderboard.
Bard’s season reached an early culmination when he defended his individual title two weeks ago at the U.S. Collegiate in Alpharetta, Georgia — arguably the most prestigious tournament on the collegiate circuit. Bard, whose final-round 64 in last year’s runaway victory remains the tournament’s lowest-ever round, tied for first along with three other players in this year’s competition.
Bard’s strong individual play has resonated with teammates, and has helped guide the team to a successful fall run. The Cavaliers recorded top-five finishes in their first three tournaments of the season, tying for first at the DICK’S Sporting Goods Collegiate Cup Challenge in late September.
“I’m just trying to lead by example,” Bard said. “I come to practice and feel like I work hard every day. That’s the mindset the team has — we work hard, we play hard, every day.”
Coach Bowen Sargent has tracked Bard’s transition into a leadership role this season, noting that he has naturally assumed the role along with his higher level of play.
“The best player on every team always has ability to step up and be the leader, and Derek has assumed that role,” Sargent said. “Sometimes it’s not always a responsibility you expect. There are a lot of dynamics of being a leader outside of being the best player. So a lot of this is new to him, and those are things he is figuring out now.”
It must be noted that Bard’s career is halfway complete. Bard plans to remain at Virginia until the spring of 2017 and to graduate with the rest of his class. After that, it’s the pros that have Derek’s eye.
Bard outlined his post-grad plan, highlighted by the goal of making the 2017 Walker Cup roster, — an amateur tournament held every two years between the United States and Great Britain/Ireland — with the American roster selected by the United States Golf Association. If selected, according to Bard, the Walker Cup would conclude his amateur career, from which point he would attempt to reach his childhood goal of becoming a professional golfer.
“It’s been my dream since I was a little kid — to become a professional golfer — and I’ve worked every day towards that goal,” Bard said.
Sargent expressed great confidence in Bard’s ability to accomplish his post-collegiate career goals, especially his ability to reach the Walker Cup. As far as professional aspirations, Sargent said Bard’s game has room for improvement, particularly around the green.
“Derek has turned into one of the top-20 players in college golf,” Sargent said. “Out of the American players, he would have to be No. 1 [to make the Walker Cup]. He has certainly positioned himself for making that team. He still does [have] some things he needs to improve upon, which is a good thing — you don’t want to be tapped out at age 20 and have nothing left to work on. There are still pieces in his game — his chipping especially — he needs to create more shots around the green.”
Despite his long-term goals, Bard’s focus remains on the immediate future, as he tries to lead Virginia in its first trip to the CSU Kiawah Classic beginning February — a tournament he says will set the tone for the Cavaliers going into the spring season.
Read More
With a new star at the helm, Tony Bennett and company will be just fine
By Xander Tilock | 7 hours agoGertrude will aim to become a significant contributor for a young Virginia squad in 2024-25.
No. 6 women’s lacrosse relies on veteran goalscoring to defeat Virginia Tech 14-12
By Peter Kratz | 11 hours agoThe Hokies came close, but ultimately couldn’t contend with the Cavaliers’ offensive firepower.
Leo Afonso is ascending the ranks of club soccer — and he is not done yet
By Ben Istvan | YesterdayVirginia's former talisman recently made waves in professional soccer with a dreamlike 17-day stretch.
