The No. 18 Florida men’s golf team will tee off the 2013-14 season at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational tonight in Olympia Fields, Ill.
This invitational is a familiar site for the Gators; they hold a tournament record from 2010 for the best final team score (845) when they won a team championship. Florida finished second in the tournament in 2012.
The Gators have competed at this invitational for five consecutive seasons and will have their youngest team yet under coach Buddy Alexander.
“This is exciting and it’s going to be interesting,” Alexander said in a release. “I think this may be the youngest lineup I have put on the course. We have three freshman and two juniors.”
Freshman Victor Tarnstrom from Nykvarn, Sweden will tee off for the first time as a Gator this weekend. Tarnstrom recorded a win in the 2012 European Boys Team and Individual Stroke-Play Championship.
Another freshman is Ryan Orr, a Belleair native who will make his collegiate debut today. Orr brings many past accolades to Florida, including a first-place finish at the 2012 U.S. Junior Qualifier.
As for returning players, juniors Eric Banks and J.D. Tomlinson have different experiences at the invitational.
Banks will encounter the Olympia course for the first time as a Gator this weekend. Banks owned the third-best mark on the team last season at rounds at or under par with nine.
Tomlinson returns to Olympia for the third straight year. As a sophomore, Tomlinson shot 77, 76, 74 (+17) in three rounds and improved by seven strokes from his freshman campaign.
Florida will be facing eight other ranked opponents, including two Southeastern Conference rivals. Alabama is the defending national champion and Arkansas is the defending Olympia Fields Invitational champion.
With Alexander excited about his roster, the Gators look to maintain Olympia Fields as a dominant course of success.
“There is a lot of excitement in the unknown about these guys,” Alexander said. “I am anxious to get started and see where we are.”
Follow Lawrence Laguna on Twitter @LagunaLawrence.
Gators coach Buddy Alexander announced Tuesday that he will retire after the season ends.
