Men's Golf in 3rd After Day One of SEC Championship

Friday, April 17

Sea Island, GA

12:00 AM

Florida Gators

SEC Championships

Men's Golf in 3rd After Day One of SEC Championship

Friday, April 17, 2009 | Men's Golf

Senior Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.) is tied for second after shooting an opening round 68 (-4) and the University of Florida men's golf team is tied for third after day one of the 2009 SEC Championship at Frederica Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga.

The Gators shot four-over par 292 on Friday. Georgia opened with a team score of six-under par 282 to lead after the first round. Arkansas is in second at two-over 290, and Florida is tied with Vanderbilt in third.

“It was another roller coaster day for us,” said head coach Buddy Alexander. “We had to count two high scores today, but we did battle back a little bit. Toby played a pretty good round and Billy was Billy. He played a very solid round and kept us in it.”

Horschel got off to a good start, playing his first 10 holes without a bogey. He finished with four birdies in his last five holes and is one shot behind the first-round leader, Kentucky's Jordan Blann, who shot a 67 (-5). Horschel's 68 is the lowest UF round at the SEC Championship since 2006.

Horschel and fellow senior Toby Ragland (Jacksonville, Fla.) carried the team in the first round, as they were the only two players to shoot under par. Ragland birdied No. 1 and 4, but fell back to even par with of bogeys on 5 and 8. After sinking a few more birdies on the back nine, he finished the first round at one-under par 71, tied for eighth place.

Junior Tyson Alexander (Gainesville, Fla.) struggled through his first nine holes, but he pulled it together and played his last eight holes at even-par. He carded a four-over par 76 and sits in a tie for 32nd. Junior Tim McKenney (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and senior Will Strickler (Charlottesville, Va.) each shot five-over par 77. They are tied for 40th going into the second round.

“We've got to be a whole lot better than we were today,” said Coach Alexander. “Georgia played a great round and got a big lead. They'll probably have to slip a little bit for us to catch them but we're still in the tournament and hopefully tomorrow will be a little better.”

Second round action will be played on Saturday, with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. off holes No. 1 and 10. Live scoring is available online HERE.

TEAM RESULTS

1	Georgia	282	-6
2	Arkansas	290	+2
T3	FLORIDA	292	+4
T3	Vanderbilt	292	+4
T5	Mississippi State	293	+5
T5	South Carolina	293	+5
7	Ole Miss	296	+8
8	Kentucky	297	+9
T9	LSU	301	+13
T9	Auburn	301	+13
11	Tennessee	305	+17
12	Alabama	308	+20

INDIVIDUAL TOP-10

1	Jordan Blann	Kentucky	67	-5
T2	Billy Horschel	FLORIDA	68	-4
T2	Mark Silvers, III	South Carolina	68	-4
T4	David Lingmerth	Arkansas	70	-2
T4	Will Roebuck	Ole Miss	70	-2
T4	Harris English	Georgia	70	-2
T4	Brian Harman	Georgia	71	-1
T8	Noah Goldman	Mississippi State	71	-1
T8	Toby Ragland	FLORIDA	71	-1
T8	John Peterson	LSU	71	-1
T8	Carlos Sainz, Jr.	Mississippi State	71	-1
T8	Russell Henley	Georgia	71	-1
T8	Hudson Swafford	Georgia	71	-1