The
University of Florida men’s golf team finished in fourth place at their annual
home tournament, the SunTrust Gator Invitational, on Sunday, February 10 at the
Mark Bostick Golf Course. UF shot an 851 (+11) for the three-round event.
“I know
we are better than we played this week,” head coach Buddy Alexander said.
“We have a lot to learn and a lot to improve on.”
The team
finished 19 strokes behind the tournament champion, Florida State. The
Seminoles matched the 13th-best team score in the history of the Gator
Invitational. In addition, they recorded the third-best third round score and
fifth-lowest second round mark. FSU’s Daniel Berger took home the individual
crown, as well. Berger’s score of 203 (-7) tied for 15th in Gator Invitational
history.
Redshirt
sophomore Santiago Gavino (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) led the Gators on
the final day of competition. Gavino was two-over par on the first nine holes.
He rebounded with five birdies over the final nine to finish with a 67 (-3),
his best single round score as a Gator. Gavino finished in a tie for 12th
place.
“If
Santiago Gavino had not shot a 30 on the back-nine, it could have been much
worse,” Alexander said.
Senior Tyler
McCumber (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) and sophomore J.D. Tomlinson (Gainesville,
Fla.) finished the event in 213 strokes, well enough for a tie for 17th place.
McCumber was one-over par for the final 18, while Tomlinson was two-over.
Senior T.J.
Vogel (Cooper City, Fla.) registered a 216 (+6) in his final home
tournament. Junior Billy Anderson (DeLand, Fla.), in his first event of
his UF career, shot a 228 (+18).
Sophomore
Eric Banks (Truro, Canada), in his first tournament of the 2012-13
season, finished the event in 211 strokes (+1), good enough for a tie for 10th
place. It marked his second top-10 finish in his career. Banks competed in the
event as an individual. The Truro, Canada native shot two-under par for his
final round, the lowest round of his UF career.
Fellow
classmate Thomas Stewart (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.), also competing as an
individual, scored a 214 (+4) for the event. After recording a career-best 68
(-2) for the first round, Stewart recorded consecutive three-under par scores. He
finished in a tie for 20th place.
Senior Tommy
Mou (Bradenton, Fla.) was the last Gator to participate as in individual.
Mou was four-over par for the third round and finished the tournament with a
224 (+14).
The team
will be back in action from February 24-26 at the John Hayt Invitational in
nearby Ponte Vedra, Fla.
