The No. 5 Gators had their work cut out for them from the start of the Sea Best Invitational. With record-low temperatures in Atlantic Beach, Florida, on Monday morning, the tournament began at noon instead of its normal 8 to 9 a.m. window. Thus, Round 3 was canceled.
In Round 1, the Gators were eying first place, sitting just three points behind UNC Wilmington. With UNCW in the driver’s seat and Florida Gulf Coast right behind their tail, they had to have an explosive Round 2.
And they did just that.
It came down to the wire, with the Gators and Seahawks battling for the crown. Florida took off, going -9 in Round 2, ending 558 (-10) and capturing first place.
Ultimately, the Gators won their fourth-straight Sea Best Invitational on Tuesday, and they have now won three straight tournaments dating back to the fall. UNCW finished just one stroke back, shooting at 559 (-9).
All 10 of UF’s players teed off. The team lineup consisted of Zack Swanwick, Jack Turner, Luke Poulter, Matthew Kress and Parker Sands. Meanwhile, Josh Bai, Parker Bell, Trevor Gutschewski, Noah Kent and Parker Severs all participated in individual play.
Florida shot 1-under-par in Round 1. Matthew Kress went -1 and Jack Turner posted a -2, which carried the Gators. Josh Bai and Parker Bell were tied for a tournament-best -3 in individual play.
Four of five Gators starters were under par in Round 2. Turner scored a birdie in the final hole, which propelled them past UNCW.
Kress led the way for Florida with a 137 (-5), which was good for a fourth-place tie overall. The senior had four birdies in the final five holes of Round 2. He only had one bogey throughout the entire tournament, which was hole 3 of Round 1.
Turner was close behind with a 141 (-1). The junior had three birdies, including the tournament-winning one and two double bogeys in Round 2.
Swanwick and Poulter both finished dead even, and Sands bounced back from a 4-over-par opening round.
Bai finished in a three-way third-place tie with a 136 (-6). The sophomore’s eagle late in the tournament helped solidify him as the best individual performer in Round 2.
Gutschewski was close behind with a 141 (-1). The freshman bounced back from accumulating two double bogeys in Round 1 by scoring five birdies in the final round.
UF hosts the Florida Invitational on Valentine's Day, with the time to be determined. The tournament will be held at Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville.
Contact Colby Kistner at ckistner@alligator.org. Follow him on X @colbykistner22.
Colby is a junior sports journalism student in his first semester with the Alligator covering golf. He has experience covering Buchholz and Santa Fe High School sports. He also worked in UF's innovation center where he wrote and created radio content for WRUF. He is an avid hockey fan with his teams being the Seattle Kraken and Florida Panthers. He is looking to minor in business administration.
