USC Men’s Golf Signs Jack Buchanan and Jack Jerge
June 27, 2024 | Men's Golf
LOS ANGELES—Jack Buchanan, an incoming freshman and member of the South African National Team, and Jack Jerge, a sophomore transfer from Saint Mary's who placed fourth at the 2024 West Coast Conference (WCC) Championships, have both signed with the USC men's golf program, Trojan head coach Mark Hankins announced today (June 27).
Buchanan arrives at Troy with a plethora of international experience as he was the former captain of the South African Junior National Team. He has since joined the South African National Team.
"Jack Buchanan is a great addition to our USC golf team," said Hankins. "His junior career is top-notch with experience on the South African Junior National Team as its captain and more recently, on the South African National Team. He is fundamentally sound, a tremendous worker and great leader among his peers. Jack is motivated to be an immediate impact player for us, and we look forward to getting him to USC this fall."
The Team Callaway member has recorded three World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) wins and 11 top-10 finishes.
Buchanan won the 2023 South African Dimension Data Union U19 in July of 2023 going 11-under with scores of 72, 69 and 70. He also clinched the 2023 South African NOMADS National Order of Merit Costal 2 by 7 shots with scores of 68, 65 and 72 in October of 2023. Additionally, he won the individual portion of the 2023 All Africa Junior Team Championships in Uganda by 3 shots with scores of 73, 69, 70 and 73 in April of 2023.
As the captain of the Junior National team, he helped his squad win the 2023 SA U-19 IPT Championship.
Buchanan was previously ranked as the top junior in the South Africa (U19), per GolfRSA. He recently placed second at the 2024 Junior Orange Bowl International Championship in Miami.
"I'm honestly over the moon to come to USC," said Buchanan. "I know it's such a prestigious school, and it's a decision I don't take lightly. Coach Hankins was the first coach to message me, and we built up a bit of a relationship in January after I met him at the Junior Orange Bowl in Miami. I'm thrilled about the resources we have playing on the men's golf team. We play on some of the best golf courses in the U.S. To have access to those courses and the facilities that USC has, you truly can't get better than that."
Jerge recently concluded his freshman season at Saint Mary's with a scoring average of 72.2 in 34 total rounds while competing in 11 of the Gaels' 13 events.
"I'm excited to add Jack Jerge to our roster for the upcoming season," said Hankins. "He had an outstanding ending to his junior career, winning multiple American Junior Golf Association tournaments and becoming a Top 50 nationally ranked junior. He followed that with a solid freshman year in college and will be an immediate impact player for USC. He's a smart player, thoughtful and disciplined on the golf course and a great competitor."
A WCC Honorable Mention, Jerge recorded four top-15 finishes during his freshman season. He wrapped up his debut collegiate season with pair of top-5 finishes: placing third at the El Macero Classic hosted by UC Davis and a fourth place finish at the WCC Championships with a score of 9-under-par. He also finished 9-under-par at the White Sands Bahamas NCAA Men's Invitational.
Prior to Saint Mary's, Jerge, the No. 25 ranked player in the class of 2023, was ranked 27th on Golfweek Junior Rankings and as high as 30th overall in the American Junior Golf Association Rolex Rankings. A top-five player in the state of California, he was a two-time AJGA Winner by winning back-to-back years at San Jose, shooting scores of 65, 69 and 70 to win in 2022, and 68, 68 and 65 to win in 2023. He also placed second at the AJGA Ping Heather Farr with scores of 69, 69 and 67.
Jerge was a four-year letterman at De La Salle in Granada Hills, Calif. He was a two-time California state champion and MVP of the East Bay Athletic League as the team's top scorer during his senior season. As a junior, he earned placement on the All-East Bay Athletic League First Team.
"USC has always been one of my dream schools," said Jerge. "Growing up, I always followed USC Athletics. When I went in the transfer portal, Coach Hankins made me feel very wanted, and I felt that it would be a very good fit. I'm excited for the network of alumni I'll get to experience at USC. We have an incredible rotation of courses that we get to play on a weekly basis, so that's something I'm really looking forward to. I'm eager to work with Coach Hankins. He's a very established coach, and I'm looking forward to having him guide me through the rest of my college career."
Buchanan and Jerge will both enroll in the fall of 2024 ready to compete for the Trojans.
Buchanan arrives at Troy with a plethora of international experience as he was the former captain of the South African Junior National Team. He has since joined the South African National Team.
"Jack Buchanan is a great addition to our USC golf team," said Hankins. "His junior career is top-notch with experience on the South African Junior National Team as its captain and more recently, on the South African National Team. He is fundamentally sound, a tremendous worker and great leader among his peers. Jack is motivated to be an immediate impact player for us, and we look forward to getting him to USC this fall."
The Team Callaway member has recorded three World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) wins and 11 top-10 finishes.
Buchanan won the 2023 South African Dimension Data Union U19 in July of 2023 going 11-under with scores of 72, 69 and 70. He also clinched the 2023 South African NOMADS National Order of Merit Costal 2 by 7 shots with scores of 68, 65 and 72 in October of 2023. Additionally, he won the individual portion of the 2023 All Africa Junior Team Championships in Uganda by 3 shots with scores of 73, 69, 70 and 73 in April of 2023.
As the captain of the Junior National team, he helped his squad win the 2023 SA U-19 IPT Championship.
Buchanan was previously ranked as the top junior in the South Africa (U19), per GolfRSA. He recently placed second at the 2024 Junior Orange Bowl International Championship in Miami.
"I'm honestly over the moon to come to USC," said Buchanan. "I know it's such a prestigious school, and it's a decision I don't take lightly. Coach Hankins was the first coach to message me, and we built up a bit of a relationship in January after I met him at the Junior Orange Bowl in Miami. I'm thrilled about the resources we have playing on the men's golf team. We play on some of the best golf courses in the U.S. To have access to those courses and the facilities that USC has, you truly can't get better than that."
Jerge recently concluded his freshman season at Saint Mary's with a scoring average of 72.2 in 34 total rounds while competing in 11 of the Gaels' 13 events.
"I'm excited to add Jack Jerge to our roster for the upcoming season," said Hankins. "He had an outstanding ending to his junior career, winning multiple American Junior Golf Association tournaments and becoming a Top 50 nationally ranked junior. He followed that with a solid freshman year in college and will be an immediate impact player for USC. He's a smart player, thoughtful and disciplined on the golf course and a great competitor."
A WCC Honorable Mention, Jerge recorded four top-15 finishes during his freshman season. He wrapped up his debut collegiate season with pair of top-5 finishes: placing third at the El Macero Classic hosted by UC Davis and a fourth place finish at the WCC Championships with a score of 9-under-par. He also finished 9-under-par at the White Sands Bahamas NCAA Men's Invitational.
Prior to Saint Mary's, Jerge, the No. 25 ranked player in the class of 2023, was ranked 27th on Golfweek Junior Rankings and as high as 30th overall in the American Junior Golf Association Rolex Rankings. A top-five player in the state of California, he was a two-time AJGA Winner by winning back-to-back years at San Jose, shooting scores of 65, 69 and 70 to win in 2022, and 68, 68 and 65 to win in 2023. He also placed second at the AJGA Ping Heather Farr with scores of 69, 69 and 67.
Jerge was a four-year letterman at De La Salle in Granada Hills, Calif. He was a two-time California state champion and MVP of the East Bay Athletic League as the team's top scorer during his senior season. As a junior, he earned placement on the All-East Bay Athletic League First Team.
"USC has always been one of my dream schools," said Jerge. "Growing up, I always followed USC Athletics. When I went in the transfer portal, Coach Hankins made me feel very wanted, and I felt that it would be a very good fit. I'm excited for the network of alumni I'll get to experience at USC. We have an incredible rotation of courses that we get to play on a weekly basis, so that's something I'm really looking forward to. I'm eager to work with Coach Hankins. He's a very established coach, and I'm looking forward to having him guide me through the rest of my college career."
Buchanan and Jerge will both enroll in the fall of 2024 ready to compete for the Trojans.
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