Men's Golf First After Second Round Of Collegiate

Saturday, September 28

Dalton, GA

12:00 AM

Florida Gators

Carpet Capital Collegiate

Men's Golf First After Second Round Of Collegiate

Sunday, September 29, 2002 | Men's Golf

The University of Florida men's golf team moved one step closer Saturday to securing its second team championship in as many tournaments in the 2002-03 season. The Gators fired a four-under-par 284 at The Farm during the second round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate in Dalton, Ga.

The No. 2 ranked Gators' total of 562 (-14) are seven shots better than No. 1 Clemson (569), who stands in second at nine-under. Thirteenth-ranked UNLV rounds out the top three at four-under (572).

"We keep playing solid golf," Florida head coach Buddy Alexander said. "It's going to be a true test for us tomorrow in the final round to keep up the level of play against a great field of teams."

Junior Camilo Villegas (Medellin, Colombia) is the top Gator golfer, as he stands in third-place at six-under (138). The 2002 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year shot a one-under 71 in the second round. Villegas is two shots back of Wake Forest's Bill Haas and Georgia Tech's Troy Matteson, who are both at eight-under (136). The top Florida performance of the day was turned in by freshman James Vargas (Miami, Fla.), who fired a four-under-par to jump from 13th to a tie for fifth-place at 139 (-5).

Senior Jordan Code (Tampa, Fla.) continued his impressive play in the early part of the season, as he shot a 73 to finish the second round tied for ninth at two-under (142). For the second straight tournament, freshman Ryan Cochran bounced back in the second round with a lower score, as the Paducah, Kentucky native shot an even-par 72 to finish tied for 43rd at +4 (148). Joining Cochran in a tie for 43rd was fellow freshman Matt Every (Daytona Beach, Fla.) who shot a five-over 77 in the second 18-holes.

The final round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate will begin Sunday at 9 a.m. at The Farm. Live scoring of the tournament can be followed at www.golfstat.com.

TEAM RESULTS

1. FLORIDA 278-284 = 562 (-14)

2. Clemson 287-282 = 569 (-7)

3. UNLV 285-287 = 572 (-4)

4. Augusta State 294-281 = 575 (-1)

5. Southern California 292-287 = 579 (+3)

6. Georgia 294-286 = 580 (+4)

7. North Carolina State 288-293 = 581 (+5)

8. Texas 295-287 = 582 (+6)

9. East Tennessee State 284-299 = 583 (+7)

10. Wake Forest 288-296 = 584 (+8)

11. North Carolina 288-297 = 585 (+9)