Florida Gators
Preview Invitational
Gators finish ninth at PING/Golfweek Preview Invitational
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 | Men's Golf
The Florida men's golf team shot a final round 291 (+7) to finish in ninth place at the 20th annual PING/Golfweek Preview Invitational in Toledo, Ohio. Redshirt sophomore Andres Echavarria (Medellin, Colombia) was the Gators' top finisher in the event tying for 21st place at 218 (+5) for the tournament. Florida had a tournament total of 879 (+27).
Echavarria's career-best 68 (-3) in the opening round was the Gators lowest round of the tournament and he finished with the team's best score on the final day with an even-par 71.
The second-best finish for the Gators came from senior Toby Ragland (Jacksonville , Fla.), whose total of 219 (+6) put him in a tie for 24th place. He shot a final round 74 (+3).
Junior Tyson Alexander (Gainesville, Fla.) matched his first round score with a two-over par 73. He had nine birdies in the tournament and had a three-round total of 223 (+10), finishing in a tie for 38th place.
The struggles continued for All-American senior Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.), who carded a three-over par 74 in the final round. He finished in a tie for 42nd place at 11-over par 224 for the tournament.
Freshman Mu Hu (Shen Zhen, China) showed improvement in each round shooting a final-round 73 (+2). He finished at 13-over par 226 for the tournament in a tie for 47th place.
Oklahoma State ran away with the team title, with a final tally of 843 (-9). Cowboy freshman Morgan Hoffman shared the individual medalist honors with Tennessee's Robin Wingardh, totaling 207 (-6) for three rounds.
The Gators return to action October 13-14, traveling to Durham, N.C. to participate in the Duke Coca-Cola Individual Collegiate. UF's final tournament of the fall is the Galloway National Invitational, hosted by Columbia in Atlantic City, N.J. on October 24-26.
Florida Results
T21. Andres Echavarria, 68-79-71=218 (+5)
T24. Toby Ragland, 74-71-74=219 (+6)
T38. Tyson Alexander, 73-77-73=223 (+10)
T42. Billy Horschel, 76-74-74=224 (+11)
T47. Mu Hu, 78-75-73=226 (+13)
| TEAM RESULTS | |||||||
|
|
| scoring | rounds |
|
| ||
|
|
| to par | 1 | 2 | 3 | total |
|
| 1 | Oklahoma State | -9 | 282 | 277 | 284 | 843 |
|
| 2 | Tennessee | +7 | 284 | 283 | 292 | 859 |
|
| 3 | Georgia | +9 | 290 | 285 | 286 | 861 |
|
| 4 | Southern California | +15 | 286 | 291 | 290 | 867 |
|
| 5 | Alabama | +16 | 294 | 288 | 286 | 868 |
|
| 6 | Arizona State | +18 | 292 | 292 | 286 | 870 |
|
| T7 | Clemson | +22 | 294 | 281 | 299 | 874 |
|
| T7 | Georgia Tech | +22 | 296 | 283 | 295 | 874 |
|
| 9 | FLORIDA | +27 | 291 | 297 | 291 | 879 |
|
| 10 | Florida State | +34 | 299 | 292 | 295 | 886 |
|
| 11 | Chattanooga | +41 | 299 | 300 | 294 | 893 |
|
| 12 | Charlotte | +42 | 296 | 296 | 302 | 894 |
|
| 13 | Texas A&M | +43 | 296 | 306 | 293 | 895 |
|
| 14 | Kent State | +45 | 299 | 292 | 306 | 897 |
|
| 15 | Toledo | +71 | 314 | 299 | 310 | 923 |
|
| INDIVIDUAL TOP-10 | |||||||
|
|
|
| scoring | rounds |
| ||
|
| player | school | to par | 1 | 2 | 3 | total |
| T1 | Morgan Hoffmann | Oklahoma State | -6 | 69 | 66 | 72 | 207 |
| T1 | Robin Wingardh | Tennessee | -6 | 69 | 67 | 71 | 207 |
| 3 | Trent Leon | Oklahoma State | -4 | 70 | 73 | 66 | 209 |
| 4 | Rickie Fowler | Oklahoma State | -3 | 68 | 69 | 73 | 210 |
| T5 | Bud Cauley | Alabama | -2 | 75 | 68 | 68 | 211 |
| T5 | Jesper Kennegard | Arizona State | -2 | 70 | 70 | 71 | 211 |
| T5 | Kyle Stanley | Clemson | -2 | 69 | 68 | 74 | 211 |
| T8 | Cameron Lawrence | Tennessee | -1 | 68 | 69 | 75 | 212 |
| T8 | Ben Rickett | Chattanooga | -1 | 71 | 73 | 68 | 212 |
| T10 | Jamie Lovemark | Southern California | E | 66 | 76 | 71 | 213 |
| T10 | Adam Mitchell | Georgia | E | 72 | 70 | 71 | 213 |
| T10 | Tim Sluiter | Southern California | E | 76 | 70 | 67 | 213 |
