The
University of Florida men’s golf team used a final round 285 (-3) to finish as
the runner-up at the 2012 NCAA East Regional at the Grandover Resort East
Course. With the top-5 finish, the Gators have advanced to the NCAA
Championship, played this year at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades,
Calif., for an NCAA best 12th consecutive season.
“It
was another solid day that was badly needed because the rest of the field
played so well,” said head coach Buddy Alexander. “The quality of play
today from the majority of the field was impressive and I thought we were able
to play a good, solid round of golf. I’m proud of my guys for bouncing back
after the poor first round and I’m looking forward to going to California for
Nationals.”
For
the day, the Gators were led by junior T.J. Vogel (Cooper City, Fla.)
who shot an impressive three-under, 69, and three golfers; freshmen J.D.
Tomlinson (Gainesville, Fla.) and Eric Banks (Truro, Canada) and senior
Michael Furci (Sayville, N.Y.); who shot rounds of even par, 72.
Vogel
played the front nine in one-under, 35, after birdies on the par-5 sixth and
the par-4 ninth countered by a bogey on the fifth. After a bogey on 10 to fall
back to even par for the tournament, Vogel caught fire down the stretch
finishing his round by making three birdies on his final five holes to post his
69 and finish the tournament in 217 (+1), good for a tie for seventh place
overall, his ninth top-10 finish of the season.
“T.J.
was amazing today. To bounce back from a 78 on the first day and finish in the
top-10 shows how special of a player he is,” Alexander explained.
Tomlinson
led the Gators for the tournament finishing in a tie for fifth overall, the best
finish of his young career. On the day, Tomlinson made four birdies against
four bogeys to finish his tournament at even par, 216.
Banks
got off to a quick start making birdies on the par-5 second and the par-4
fourth. After dropping a shot on the fifth, Banks closed his front nine with
four pars to turn in one-under, 35. On the back nine, Banks saw two birdies,
countered by three bogeys to come in with 37 to post an even par round. For the
tournament, Banks finished in a tie for 16th with a 221 (+5).
“Our
freshmen both had solid days for us,” Alexander said. “J.D. just keeps getting
better and better and Eric has really grown up and is playing some good golf.”
After
a difficult first two rounds, Furci was able to bounce back with a solid closing
round to round out the scoring on the day for the Orange and Blue. The senior
used four birdies and an eagle to counter six bogeys to post his 72 (E).
Despite
a final round 74, junior Tyler McCumber (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) finished
15th overall at 220 (+4), his ninth top-20 finish on the year.
