No Billy Horschel? No problem.
The UF men's golf team didn't need its best player to finish second at the Columbia Invitational in Galloway, N.J.
It just needed its hottest player.
Tim McKenney, who was coming off a second-place finish in the Duke Individual Collegiate in Durham, N.C., got better each round and finished with a share of first place, a new career best.
McKenney shot his best round of the tournament Sunday, a 1-over-par 72.
The Gators also had their lowest-scoring round Sunday - a 10-over-par 294 - and finished with a team score of 903 (+51).
The second-place finish was the team's best this season.
Today was the nicest weather we had the whole tournament," UF
coach Buddy Alexander said. "There was not as much wind and it was the best scoring conditions that we had."
Overall, four Gators placed in the top 15, including McKenney.
Freshman Mu Hu bounced back from a disappointing second round and finished in a tie for sixth, setting a career best along the way.
Will Strickler, who also shot 1-over par in the third round, tied for 11th place.
Tyson Alexander finished 13th, and Toby Ragland, who shot his best round Sunday, tied for 38th.
TCU won the tournament with its three-round total of 894.
The Columbia concluded the fall season for the Gators, who won't compete on the greens until Feb. 2 when UF hosts the Golden Ocala Collegiate in Ocala.
"We're going to have to hit it hard this winter," Alexander said. "We've got some work to do and we need to get better."
