For the 13th straight year, Florida men’s golf will advance to the NCAA Championships.
After recording a team total of 296 (+8) in the final round, UF finished with an 874 (+10) at the NCAA South Regional in Baton Rouge.
Florida entered the final round with a team score of 578 (+2) and an eight-stroke cushion over second-place Alabama. With the top five teams advancing, the Gators had a 19-shot buffer between them and elimination.
“I am proud of my guys,” coach Buddy Alexander said in a release. “We had a great week, not too stressful. It was great to see T.J. Vogel play so well. It is great to see him back. Tyler McCumber did well and has been exceptional lately.”
McCumber and Vogel guided Florida with performances of 73 (+1) and 74 (+2), respectively. Both seniors tied for third on the individual leaderboard, shooting 215 (-1) for the weekend.
Senior Tommy Mou recovered from a rocky second round – during which he carded three double bogeys en route to an 82 (+10) – to shoot a tidy 72 (E). Mou has replaced A.J. Crouch’s spot in Florida’s lineup during the NCAA South Regional.
While Florida cruised, Alabama rode Bobby Wyatt’s 66 (-6) and Scott Strohmeyer’s 69 (-3) to come back and win the regional with a final round of 282 (-6). Bama ended Saturday with a score of 868 (+4).
Strohmeyer and Wyatt each finished 1-2 atop the individual leaderboard with Strohmeyer shooting 212 (-4) and Wyatt a 214 (-2).
“You have to give credit to Alabama,” Alexander said. “They are a great team who have won six of seven starts this semester. When their No. 4 guy wins on a difficult course, you have to give them credit.”
LSU, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina rounded out the top five and will also advance to the next round.
The NCAA Championships will take place from May 28 to June 2 at the Capital City Club Crabapple Course in Woodstock, Ga.
Senior Tyler McCumber putts during the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 10 at Mark Bostick Golf Course.