Men's Golf Signs Three

Ryan Burnett (Lafayette, Calif.), Luis Castro (Sta. Rosa, Laguna, Philippines) and Dougie Ergood (Mount Laurel, N.J.) have signed National Letters of Intent to attend the University of North Carolina and play men's golf for the Tar Heels.

Burnett, the son of Steve and Elizabeth Burnett, attends Campolindo High School in Moraga, Calif., and was recently named a second-team 2017 Rolex All-America. He's ranked 13^th by Rolex (No. 9 in the class of 2018), 15^th by Golfweek and No. 16 by Junior Golf Scoreboard. A California Interscholastic Federation scholar-athlete, Burnett won the Northern California High School championship as a sophomore. He is a two-time sectional MVP and has five career AJGA event top-five finishes. He won the California Tour championship in 2016 and was second in 2017, tied for second at the 2016 Jones Cup Junior Invitational and tied for second after shooting 68 in the final round at the 2017 Ping Invitational.

"I knew Carolina was where I wanted to be after my first visit because it is a first-class university in every way," says Burnett. "The combination of elite academics and athletics, along with Chapel Hill being one of the best college environments in America, make it a dream-come-true destination for me. I am extremely excited and honored to be joining the Tar Heel Family and the program Coach (Andrew) DiBitetto and Coach (Matt) Clark have created. I can't wait to get to work next fall."

"Ryan is an incredible young man that is determined and has an excellent work ethic which has turned him into one of the top juniors in the country," says DiBitetto. "Ryan has experience playing against the best junior golfers in the country and on some very difficult golf courses. Mentally, Ryan is very mature and steady, on and off the golf course, which is one of the many reasons he has performed well under bright lights as well as in the classroom."

Castro, the son of Salvador Antonio "Aboy" and Luisa Castro, has won Learning Links Academy of Leadership and Entrepreneurship the 2015 Northern Luzon Regional Amateur, the 2015 Visayas Regional Amateur, the 2017 Aguinaldo Junior Amateur and, earlier this month, the 2017 SINGHA Thailand Junior World Championship. He posted a number of top-10 finishes in the U.S., including second at the 2016 Otter Creek Junior Championship, second at the 2016 USGA Junior Amateur qualifier at Shoal Creek, fifth at the 2016 Evitt Foundation RTC Junior All-Star at WindStone Golf Club, eighth at the 2016 AJGA Junior in Owensboro and 10^th at the 2015 Junior All-Star at Ravenwood Golf Club.

"I chose UNC because I thoroughly believe in the program the coaches have set for the team and I know it will guide me in becoming a better person, golfer and student," says Castro, who attends the.

"Luis is a bright student and a talented golfer," says DiBitetto. "He will bring a significant amount of worldwide tournament experience with him to Chapel Hill. Luis has continued his global success with his recent win at the SINGHA Thailand Junior World Championships. He had an extremely positive summer in the USA in 2016 and we are glad we could attract him to UNC. Luis already has a great understanding of the importance of preparation and he is a fiery competitor."

Ergood, the son of Doug Sr. and Danielle Ergood, attends Lenape High School in Medford Township, N.J. He is ranked 40^th by Junior Golf Scoreboard (27^th in senior class) and 47^th by Rolex AJGA (27^th in class of 2018). He won the 2017 AJGA Penn State Junior (final-round 67), the 2017 AJGA Junior Golf Hub Championship (68 in final round) and a 2017 US Junior Amateur Qualifier in New Jersey. He also won the 2017 Garden State Cup, was sixth at the 2017 AJGA Philadelphia Junior and eighth in the 2017 New Jersey State Amateur.

"UNC has always been my dream school," says Ergood. "The choice was simple for me to make. It has smart and dedicated coaches, talented, driven players, and is a rigorous, competitive university. I would like to help them win a national championship. After visiting the university and spending time with the coaches and players, it was easy to see that this will be my new family for the next four years and for many years after."

"Dougie is a first-class kid that is very humble, yet confident at the same time," says DiBitetto. "He has a strong desire and passion for bettering himself in all phases of life and he is relentless in his pursuit of accomplishing his goals. Dougie is a fierce competitor who also plays basketball, baseball, and has a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do. Compared to others, Dougie is relatively new to competitive golf, but he continues to grow as a golfer, as he is now ranked in the top 30 in the class of 2018."

The trio represent the first signing class for Tar Heel coaches DiBitetto and Clark.

"It is such an exciting day for Ryan, Luis, and Dougie," says DiBitetto. "They've worked extremely hard, and their families have made so many sacrifices to get them to where they are today. With the signing of Ryan, Luis, and Dougie, we are adding quality young men that carry leadership abilities, talent and grit. We also know this group has a burning desire to have individual and team success. Coach Clark and I are excited about the potential of this class and we are thrilled they have joined our Tar Heel family."

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