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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Gators coach Buddy Alexander announced Tuesday that he will retire after the season ends.</p>

Gators coach Buddy Alexander announced Tuesday that he will retire after the season ends.

Florida showed why it entered play this week ranked No. 1 in the country.

The Gators are in first place with a 6-under total of 554 after 36 holes of play in the Jerry Pate Invitational in Birmingham, Ala.

Coming off his best performance as a Gator, sophomore Tyler McCumber leads the way with a 36-hole total of 135 (-5). McCumber shot a then-career-best 68 in the first round at Olympia Fields on Sunday.

He bettered that number by three strokes Monday, carding a bogey-free 65 in his second round to set a new career low.

“It is great to see Tyler play as well as he is,” coach Buddy Alexander said. “He has become a really good player for us.”

The Gators had three golfers in the individual top 10 after the first round but trailed Auburn University by three strokes. Following the second round, UF golfers accounted for three of the top five, putting the UF team in the lead and in position for its second consecutive title to start the season.

Continuing his impressive play, senior Bank Vongvanij fired a 4-under 66 in the opening round with five birdies to just one bogey. But his consistent play disappeared during the second 18.

Vongvanij birdied his first two holes before carding an eagle on the par-4 sixth hole. But the 514-yard par-4 tenth hole put a damper on an otherwise excellent day as Vongvanij recorded a quadruple-bogey eight. He went on to make another eagle at 16 but finished with a score of 71 for a total of 137 (-3), good for fourth individually. 

“Bank had kind of an unusual day,” Alexander said. “Usually he is one of our more consistent guys, but he still played well.”

In fifth place after Monday’s play with a total of 138 (-2) is Phillip Choi, who shot a career-low-tying 68 in round two. Choi dominated the front nine carding five birdies and zero bogeys.

Sophomore Tommy Mou shot back-to-back rounds of 72 for a 36-hole total of 144 (+4). Mou had seven birdies in his two rounds but also made nine bogeys and a double bogey in his first action this season.

Andres Echavarria added rounds of 72 and 73 for the Gators. At one point in his second round Echavarria was 2 under par. But he proceeded to bogey four straight holes and could not recover.

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No. 22 Auburn and No. 5 Alabama are just two and five shots back, respectively, and coach Alexander was pleased with his team’s performance.

“It was a long day, but a good day,” Alexander said. “It was great to see everyone contribute. Everyone did their part.”

Gators coach Buddy Alexander announced Tuesday that he will retire after the season ends.

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