The Gators battled weather in the first round of the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters, but they struggled worse during the second round.
Florida shot 292 (+4) in the first round, but shot a 596 (+16) in the second round to drop from a tie for sixth into a tie for 11th.
The regression all but eliminates the Gators going into the final round. Florida trails leader California (-11) by 31 strokes.
“Playing against such a great field shows you how much you need to improve on and what your weaknesses are,” coach Buddy Alexander said in the release.
“It is tough, but hopefully we can improve tomorrow.”
There were few bright spots for the Gators after every golfer but freshman A.J. Crouch had a worse second round than first round. Florida shot only ten birdies between the five starters to go along with the six double bogies.
Crouch and senior captain Tyler McCumber have been the only two consistent golfers for Florida in the tournament. Crouch shot a 73 in both the first and second round to go one over par in each round and tie for 18th.
McCumber has had an almost identical tournament to Crouch after shooting a 73 (+1) in the first round and a 74 (+2) in the second round. McCumber is tied for 23rd.
Eric Banks, the only Florida golfer who has a round under par in the tournament, blew up in the second round, shooting seven over par (79). Banks looked to be one of the few Gators to possibly stay in contention for the individual title but now sits tied for 44th.
T.J. Vogel continues to be an enigma for the Gators. Vogel is considered the squad's best player but has yet to play up to his standard. He shot a 78 (+6), three strokes worse than his first round, to fall into a tie for 61st.
A sports hernia surgery during winter break prevented Vogel from practicing and could be contributing to his inconsistent play.
J.D. Tomlinson has struggled the most out of any Gator after shooting a 79 (+7) in the second round. This comes after a shaky start in the first round that saw him shoot five over (77).
Florida will work to finish in a better place, but the only hope it has of going home with a trophy would be an individual championship from Crouch or McCumber.
