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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p><span>Ryan Orr swings during Day 1 of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on </span><span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">Feb. 14, 2015,</span></span><span> at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.</span></p>

Ryan Orr swings during Day 1 of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 14, 2015, at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

The opening round for the Florida men’s golf team at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship Friday in Bradenton had them tied for sixth place.

When the team returned to the course to finish the weekend, their low scores didn’t make the trip.

After shooting 5-over-par in Round 1, the Gators shot 21-over and 20-over-par in the ensuing rounds failing to make the tournament cut.

The top-15 teams make the fourth round of the NCAA Championships, and after Round 3, the Gators finished tied for 28th.

"It was a tough week and obviously not the way the team wanted to finish," coach JC Deacon said in a release. "It hurts to shoot scores like that, but I think when you look back on how far we’ve come in the last year. We got the chance to play in a national championship. Ryan Orr and Ryan Celano, the young guys, got to see what it’s all about and hopefully this leaves them really hungry going forward."

Orr was the bright spot for the Gators through the first three rounds and was the only Gator to qualify for Round 4. Orr played individually in the final round for the Gators after shooting 2-over-par through three rounds.

"I ended up walking around with him today and got to see him play the whole round," Deacon said of Orr after Round 3. "He played with the No. 1 player in college golf, John Rahm, and he’s right there with him. He’s hitting the ball unbelievable, and his poise is beyond his years."

The scores increased daily for the Gators and led to an ousting after their short stint in the final tournament.

Seniors J.D. Tomlinson and Eric Banks both finished their final tournaments as Gators at 15-over-par.

Tomlinson’s 15-over-par performance marked the first tournament where he didn’t place in the top-25.

Celano and junior A.J. Crouch rounded out the five for the Gators shooting 18-over-par for the tournament.

Deacon thinks that the score plummeted in Round 2 due to lack of preparation on behalf of the coaching staff, but is optimistic that it won’t happen again.

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"It’s my fault, and I’ll learn, being a first-year head coach," Deacon said. "We’ll get better, but today’s definitely on me."

Follow Ryan Summers on Twitter @RyanSummers18.

Ryan Orr swings during Day 1 of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 14, 2015, at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.

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