March 4, 2012
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By Brandon Naidus
UCFAthletics.com
DADE CITY, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Like last week's John Hayt Invitational, sophomore Jose Joia (Lagoa, Portugal) and senior Brad Schneider (Valrico, Fla.) have posted strong opening rounds to put the No. 16 UCF men's golf team in first place after one round, but on Sunday it was at the USF Invitational. With a score of 284 (-4), the Knights currently sit in first place. The squad leads second-place Middle Tennessee State by five strokes and third place No. 22 Georgia by seven strokes.
After one round at the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club, Joia currently sits in first place. His 65 (-7) is the best round by any Knight this season. He leads Schneider by two strokes.
Schneider's 67 (-5) marks his best round of the season. He posted a bogey-free round, including a 32 (-4) on the back nine.
Sophomores Ricardo Gouveia (Almancil, Portugal) and Kyle Wilshire (Georgetown, Ky.) finished up strong. Both shot one-stroke better on the back nine than on the front.
Sophomore Greg Eason (Leicester City, England) is seeking to repeat his strong showing from last year's tournament. His 207 (-9) put him in second place.
The rest of the field is close to Joia and Schneider. Two strokes behind Schneider are Rick Kittelstad of South Florida and Brad Simmons of Middle Tennessee State, who are tied for third. There is a mere three-stroke difference between third and 13th.
With two rounds left, the Knights had a much better showing in this year's opening round. Last year, the Knights were tied for ninth with a 293 (+5).
This is the third of five spring tournaments for the Knights.
USF Invitational - Sunday's First Round - Par 72
Team Leaderboard
1) No. 16 UCF -4 (284)
2) Middle Tennessee State +1 (289)
3) No. 22 Georgia +3 (291)
4) North Carolina + 4 (292)
T5) Kentucky +7 (295)
T5) South Florida +7 (295)
Individual Leaderboard
1) Jose Joia (UCF) -7 (65)
2) Brad Schneider (UCF) -5 (67)
T3) Rick Kittelstad (South Florida) -3 (69)
T3) Brad Simmons (Middle Tennessee State) -3 (69)
T5) Justin Dorward (Louisville) -2 (70)
T5) T.J. Mitchell (Georgia) -2 (70)
UCF's Golfers
1) Jose Joia -7 (65)
2) Brad Schneider -5 (67)
T35) Ricardo Gouveia +3 (75)
T50) Kyle Wilshire +5 (77)
T72) Greg Eason +8 (80)