Bernard Takes the Early Lead at the Azalea Invitational
March 22, 2018 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: hugo bernard, View results for Azalea Invitational , Country Club of Charleston
On a cool and breezy day at the CC of Charleston, the Canadian former NCAA D2 champion Hugo Bernard goes bogey free
CHARLESTON, SC (March 22, 2018) - On a cool and breezy day where temperatures struggled to get out of the 50s, Hugo Bernard posted a bogey-free 4-under 67 to take the first round lead at the Azalea Invitational at the Country Club of Charleston.
Bernard won his country's national championship at the Canadian Amateur two years ago, in the same year that he won the NCAA Division II Championship as a St. Leo University freshman.
Today, Bernard birdied 4, 5, 15 and 17 to get to 4 under and take a one stroke lead over two high school seniors, Ryan Hall (Knoxville, TN) and Viraj Garewal (Raleigh, NC).
Hall, a South Carolina commit, started hot and got it to 4 under at the turn, but leveled off and lost one shot coming in for a 3-under 68.
Garewal, a Davidson College commit, had a roller coaster round that started with a double bogey at the first hole but included 7 birdies, capped off by a 3 at the difficult 482-yard uphill finishing hole.
Two other players broke 70 on day one: University of Texas commit and last year's Azalea runner-up Cole Hammer (Houston, TX) and Georgia Tech senior James Clark III (Columbus, GA), who both shot 2-under 69. Clark is trying to become the second straight Georgia Tech golfer to win the Azalea, following Chris Petefish who won last year's event but is not in the field this week.
There is a large group at 1 under, including Bernard's countryman Joey Savoie, as well as Joseph Deraney (Nashville, TN), who has won several national mid-amateur events including the Stocker Cup and Lupton Invitational, and is trying to add his first big national amateur title.
Reigning U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Matt Parziale (Brockton, MA), who is at the Azalea in preparation for his appearance in the upcoming Masters, shot a 1-over 72.
Last year's Azalea co-runner-up Joseph Pagdin (Orlando, FL) shot a 2-over 73. The 2015 Azalea Invitational champion and former Walker Cupper Todd White shot a 5-over 76. Brady Exber, a four-time Azalea senior champion who came into the week with two wins (one amateur, one senior) in the last two weeks, struggled to an 8-over 79.
Play continues Friday with the second round, with cool temperatures once again forecast for the morning; in fact a freeze warning is in effect for parts of the Charleston area.
Results: Azalea Invitational
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston, TX | 700 | 69-63-71-70=273 | |
| T2 | , Canada | 500 | 67-65-73-68=273 | |
| T2 | Orlando, FL | 500 | 73-67-67-66=273 | |
| 4 | Lexington, SC | 400 | 72-68-70-67=277 | |
| 5 | , Canada | 400 | 70-71-67-70=278 |
About the Azalea Invitational
72-hole stroke play championship with a 54-hole cut on a 1925 Seth Raynor design. Good mix of college players, juniors and mid amateurs. 7 spots available in a qualifier. Impressive list of past champions at this traditional event. Reigning USGA cham...
Most Popular Articles
LIVE SCORING: 2026 Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
Feb 3, 2026Australia’s national amateur championship returns Feb. 3–6 at The Western Australian and Wanneroo.
2026 Ben Hogan Award Watch List: 35 Names to Know This Spring
Jan 29, 2026The 2026 Ben Hogan Award watch list is out—35 college golf standouts are in the early mix for the game’s top individual honor.
Titleist Fitting Philosophy: The Competitive Amateur’s Fastest Path to Lower Scores
Jan 26, 2026Competitive golf is a game of small edges. Titleist’s fitting approach combines expert human insight and honest data
NCAA Champion Michael La Sasso Turns Pro, Signs With LIV Golf
Jan 20, 2026Michael La Sasso is going LIV, joining Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC and passing on the 2026 Masters.
Early Invites Announced for the 2026 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Jan 24, 2026A running list of the first confirmed names headed to Augusta.