Hampton Roberts Fires Record 11-Under 61 To Take Lead In Hawai'i

Friday, February 7

Waimea, Hawai'i (Mauna Lani North Course)

All Day

North Carolina

Amer Ari Invitational Day Two

Photo by: Jack Baddour

Hampton Roberts Fires Record 11-Under 61 To Take Lead In Hawai'i

February 7, 2025 | Men's Golf

By: Steve Kirschner

University of North Carolina sophomore Hampton Roberts made 10 birdies in his final 13 holes, including an 8-foot putt for birdie on his final hole, to shoot an historic 11-under-par 61 Friday in the second round of the Amer Ari Invitational at the North Course at the Mauna Lani Resort on the Kohala Coast in Hawai'i.

The Cary, N.C., native made 12 birdies and only one bogey in tying Carolina's all-time 18-hole record (61) and set a new mark for the lowest score to par ever by a Tar Heel (-11). The 61 is also a course record.

Ryan Gerard, currently playing on the PGA Tour, is the only other Tar Heel to shoot 61. He shot 10 under in the third round of the Fighting Irish Classic at the Warren Golf Course at the University of Notre Dame in 2018.

David Ford, a senior at UNC, shot 10-under 62 in the second round of the Jackson T. Stephens Cup at Seminole Golf Club in October 2022.

Roberts is the individual leader in the tournament at 16-under-par 128, two strokes ahead of Oregon's Eric Doyle (63-67–130).

Roberts began his round (a shotgun start) with a par on the 11^th hole. He then sandwiched a pair of birdies around his only bogey and was 1 under par through five holes. He then birdied the 16^th, 17^th, 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th and 10^th hole – 10 birdies in a 13-hole stretch – to shoot 61.

It was his third consecutive round in the 60s. He shot 68 in the final round of the Williams Cup at Eagle Point in Wilmington, N.C., in October and opened the Amer Ari Invitational yesterday with a 5-under 67. His previous low round as a Tar Heel was 66 last season at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club.

Roberts was one of three Tar Heels to shoot 5 under par or better on Friday. David Ford made seven birdies and only one bogey for a 6-under 66 and Maxwell Ford shot 5-under 67. The Ford brothers are tied for 20^th place at 7-under 137.

Grant Roscich (65-74) and Keaton Vo (66-73) are tied for 42^nd at 5-under 139. Sihan Sandhu, playing as an individual entry, has shot even-par 72s in both rounds.

Carolina is second in the 20-team field after 36 holes. The Tar Heels had the low round of the day at 21-under 267, one stroke better than they shot in Thursday's opening round.

UNC is 41 under par through the first two rounds, two shots behind Oklahoma State. The Cowboys shot 26 under on Thursday and 17 under today.

Oregon is third is -36, Texas is fourth at -35 and Arizona State is fifth at 31 under.

The third and final round is Saturday.