Freshman Kyler Tate and JC Deacon at the Sea Best Invitational.
Full Gator Squad to Compete at Home
Friday, February 19, 2016 | Men's Golf, Chris Harry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The Florida men's golf team entered last weekend's intrasquad qualifying competition thinking there was one individual opening for its next tournament. Four players already were locked in, based on head coach's exemptions earned at the spring's season-opening tournament Feb. 1-2 at Ponta Vedra, Fla.
And, boy, were they earned.
Freshman Sam Horsfield shot an even-par final round to win the Sea Best Invitational at TPC Sawgrass, finishing with a 7-under 203 to become the first UF freshman to win a tournament since Billy Horschel in 2006. His score was three strokes better than tournament runner-up and sophomore teammate Alejandro Tosti. Florida checks in 1-2. Not bad, right? But, after North Carolina's Joshua Martin (minus-3) came in the third, the tourney's top five was rounded out by junior Ryan Orr and freshman Jorge Garcia, two more Gators, who tied for fourth.
Five top spots, four covered in orange and blue.
"We've been working our butts off this whole winter," Horsfield said.
Clearly. Coach JC Deacon, the second-year ringleader behind what is shaping up as a rising NCAA giant, obviously has noticed. That's why when Florida hosts its annual tournament, the SunTrust Gator Invitational, Saturday and Sunday he'll roll all 11 of his players into the 14-team field.
"They've earned it," Deacon said.
But, they didn't necessarily know it. The Gators entered three rounds of qualifying last week thinking the quartet of Horsfield, Tosti, Orr and Garcia were the lone locks for UF's five-player tournament team with a single opening available via qualifying for the SunTrust. That final spot, or so the team thought, went to redshirt junior A.J. Crouch, based on weekend results.
But, on Monday, when the team gathered for practice, Deacon informed the players they'd all compete on their home course this weekend as basically a reward for the work and work ethic that's been on display since they showed up in August. The Gators, who have soared from No. 24 to the No. 5 ranking heading into the SunTrust, will use the designated five players for its team total (counting the best four scores), while the remaining six players will compete for individual medal honors.
"They've all been unbelievable, top to bottom, to work with," Deacon said. "They've really come together, become close and taken a ton of pride in Gator golf as a whole and what it means, what we want it to stand for. The buy-in for what we're selling has been phenomenal."
It's a testament to Deacon and associate headcoach John Handrigan as to the management of a roster that returned six players from a squad that finished 28th at the NCAA Championships, then infused it with five star-studded freshmen prospects that comprised the nation's runaway No. 1 recruiting class.
They've all become friends without sacrificing their competitive spirits.
"That was always our goal, to have them bond and come together, but I never thought it would be this good," Deacon said. "There's no one outside of our team anymore. They're all [tight] and I know they'll stick up for each other. They're still guys and they all want to win, but there's a common goal."
To be the best group they can be.
That group, in its entirety, will be on the course this weekend. To a man, like Deacon said, they've earned it.
And, boy, were they earned.
Freshman Sam Horsfield shot an even-par final round to win the Sea Best Invitational at TPC Sawgrass, finishing with a 7-under 203 to become the first UF freshman to win a tournament since Billy Horschel in 2006. His score was three strokes better than tournament runner-up and sophomore teammate Alejandro Tosti. Florida checks in 1-2. Not bad, right? But, after North Carolina's Joshua Martin (minus-3) came in the third, the tourney's top five was rounded out by junior Ryan Orr and freshman Jorge Garcia, two more Gators, who tied for fourth.
Five top spots, four covered in orange and blue.
"We've been working our butts off this whole winter," Horsfield said.
Clearly. Coach JC Deacon, the second-year ringleader behind what is shaping up as a rising NCAA giant, obviously has noticed. That's why when Florida hosts its annual tournament, the SunTrust Gator Invitational, Saturday and Sunday he'll roll all 11 of his players into the 14-team field.
"They've earned it," Deacon said.
But, they didn't necessarily know it. The Gators entered three rounds of qualifying last week thinking the quartet of Horsfield, Tosti, Orr and Garcia were the lone locks for UF's five-player tournament team with a single opening available via qualifying for the SunTrust. That final spot, or so the team thought, went to redshirt junior A.J. Crouch, based on weekend results.
But, on Monday, when the team gathered for practice, Deacon informed the players they'd all compete on their home course this weekend as basically a reward for the work and work ethic that's been on display since they showed up in August. The Gators, who have soared from No. 24 to the No. 5 ranking heading into the SunTrust, will use the designated five players for its team total (counting the best four scores), while the remaining six players will compete for individual medal honors.
"They've all been unbelievable, top to bottom, to work with," Deacon said. "They've really come together, become close and taken a ton of pride in Gator golf as a whole and what it means, what we want it to stand for. The buy-in for what we're selling has been phenomenal."
It's a testament to Deacon and associate headcoach John Handrigan as to the management of a roster that returned six players from a squad that finished 28th at the NCAA Championships, then infused it with five star-studded freshmen prospects that comprised the nation's runaway No. 1 recruiting class.
They've all become friends without sacrificing their competitive spirits.
"That was always our goal, to have them bond and come together, but I never thought it would be this good," Deacon said. "There's no one outside of our team anymore. They're all [tight] and I know they'll stick up for each other. They're still guys and they all want to win, but there's a common goal."
To be the best group they can be.
That group, in its entirety, will be on the course this weekend. To a man, like Deacon said, they've earned it.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Golf
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