Florida Gators
Florida Gulf Coast University Classic
Florida Men's Golf Wins FGCU Classic
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 | Men's Golf
The 18th-ranked University of Florida men's golf team won its first tournament in more than three years when it secured the FGCU Classic title with a 42-stroke margin of victory on Tuesday. Sophomore Alejandro Tosti also captured a share of the individual title at the Old Corkscrew Golf Club.
The Gators posted a final-round score of 3-under 285 to finish with a total of 13-under 851 and collect the win, Florida's first since bringing the team title home from The Invitational at The Ocean Course in September 2012.
Tosti and UCF's Manuel Elvira split the individual title with totals of 5-under 211. Tosti fired a 2-under 70 on Tuesday, highlighted by his second eagle of the tournament on the par-5 15th hole, to pick up the first win of his college career.
Freshman Sam Horsfield placed third, his best career finish and his third top-five effort this season. He wrapped up the tournament with a total of 3-under 213 after shooting 1-over 73 in the third round. One stroke behind him was junior Ryan Orr, who shot 2 (74) Tuesday to place fourth with a total of 2-under 214. It was the best finish and best to-par tournament score of his Gator career.
Also in the top 10 was freshman Jorge Garcia, who tied for seventh with a total of 3-over 219 after contributing a third-round score of 1 (73). Redshirt junior A.J. Crouch used a round of 3-under 69 to advance 11 places into a tie for 12th with a total of 5-over 221.
Richard Donegan carded a 1 (73) in the final round to wrap up with tournament with an even-par 216. Competing as an individual, the senior earned a fifth-place finish.
Three other Florida golfers competing as individuals joined Donegan in the top 25, with freshman Blake Dyer tying for 15th, freshman Kyler Tate tying for 18th and sophomore Ryan Celano tying for 24th. The other individual, redshirt junior Conor Richardson, saved his best round of the tournament for last, posting a 1-over 73 on Tuesday.
The FGCU Classic concluded Florida's fall season. The Gators tee off the spring season on Feb. 1 at the Sea Best invitational in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla, at TPC Sawgrass Dye's Valley Course.
Fun Facts from the FGCU Classic:
The win at the 2015 FGCU Classic marked Florida's first team title since winning The Invitational at the Ocean Course on Sept. 11, 2012.
With the victory, the Orange and Blue have now won 146 tournaments since the 1965-66 season.
Before today, the last Gator to win a tournament was A.J. Crouch, who captured the individual title at the same event last year.
The shared individual title is Alejandro Tosti's first win of his college career.
The team title was second-year head coach JC Deacon's first at Florida and his first as a head coach.
This is the second tournament of the season in which all five members of the Gators' lineup placed in the top 20.
Head Coach JC Deacon:
On the team's win:
"I think the guys made it look really easy this week, but a lot of hard work has gone into it. It's a 42-shot victory, which sounds like a lot, but we ask a lot out of these guys. They've been up early and had late nights working at the golf course and have spent a lot of time at school, and there are a lot of sacrifices that go into it. A win's a win, and there's a lot of good teams out there, and I'm happy that the guys are starting to get some results from their hard work."
On Alejandro Tosti's win:
"He's such a great player, and he's got so much talent and has all the shots, all of the explosiveness and the touch that you need to be great. Once he really learns to control his emotions, I think he's going to find himself in the winner's circle a lot."
The Orange and Blue Crew: Florida Scores After Day 2
T1. Alejandro Tosti -5 (211)
3. Sam Horsfield -3 (213)
4. Ryan Orr -2 (214)
5. Richard Donegan* E (216)
T7. Jorge Garcia 3 (219)
T12. A.J. Crouch 5 (221)
T15. Blake Dyer* 8 (224)
T18. Kyler Tate* 9 (225)
T24. Ryan Celano* 11 (227)
T36. Conor Richardson* 18 (234)
*Denotes competing as an individual
Tournament Field Results: Team Standings After Day 2
1. FLORIDA -13 (851)
2. Georgetown 29 (893)
3. FGCU 33 (897)
4. FAU 38 (902)
T5. Eastern Kentucky 43 (907)
T5. Jacksonville State 43 (907)
7. UCF 44 (908)
8. Ohio 59 923()
9. FGCU B Team 69 (933)
10. Bethune-Cookman 75 (939)
11. Stetson 80 (944)
12. Creighton 87 (951)
For full results, click here.
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Players Mentioned
