After a strong finish to a successful Spring campaign, the UF men’s golf team is looking to start the Fall in the same fashion.
And to keep that momentum in place, coach J.C. Deacon got his team to Dalton, Georgia, the sight of the first tournament, early to get some practice in on the course.
“It was amazing to get a flight in here really early this year to get some extra preparation on the super fast greens yesterday,” Deacon said in a release.
Florida will kick off the season today at the Carpet Capital Invitational in Dalton, looking to capture its first title there since 2003.
And for most players on the team, the 7,012 yard-par 72 course will be a familiar sight.
The team kicked off its Fall campaign last year in Dalton at The Farm Golf Club, finishing seventh at 35 over 899. Its success was hindered by a slow start on the first two days, shooting a collective 16 over and 11 over, respectively.
Then-freshman Sam Horsfield was the only positive aspect for Florida in that tournament, finishing tied for fourth, shooting a 1-under 215.
Now that he has a year of experience under his belt, Horsfield is ready to lead the charge.
This time, he isn’t alone.
Florida will field Horsfield, sophomores Gordon Neale and Jorge Garcia, junior Alejandro Tosti and senior Ryan Orr. Junior Ryan Celano will be teeing off as an individual.
Horsfield and Neale, who emerged as a starter for the team at the Mason Rudolph Championship in the Spring, were two of the driving forces behind a successful end of the season, including the Gators tying for third at the Southeastern Conference Championship.
The Gators won the Carpet Capital Collegiate tournament twice. On top of the wins, the Gators finished in the top-five 12 times.
“Definitely feel more prepared,” Deacon said. “Our preparation is right where I want it to be and now it’s just a matter of execution. I think this team is ready to play this week.”
Contact Jake Dreilinger at jdreilinger@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @DreilingerJake.
Sam Horsfield tees off on the ninth hole at UF's Mark Bostick Golf Course during the first round of the SunTrust Invitational on Feb. 20, 2016.
