May 17, 2014
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andy Seeley
UCFKnights.com
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (UCFKnights.com) - The UCF men's golf season came to a premature end Saturday afternoon at Briggs Ranch Golf Club. The Knights played well Saturday at the NCAA San Antonio Regional. But couldn't overcome the hole they dug for themselves on Friday, finishing seventh and falling just short of qualifying for the NCAA Championship.
The top five teams in the tournament moved on to the NCAA Championship.
"I'm obviously disappointed for this group of seniors," UCF head coach Bryce Wallor said of the team's finish. "They mean so much to this program and to me. For their season to end this way, it's unfortunate. They showed a great deal of camaraderie and great care for one another. They have been wonderful representatives of our program and our university."
It wasn't the end of the season for all the Knights, however. Senior Ricardo Gouveia will advance to the NCAA Championship as an individual.
Gouveia was tied for fifth at the end of 54 holes, going 3-under for the tournament and earning the trip to the NCAA Championship. He fired an even-par round of 72 Saturday, to follow up the 71 and 70 he posted Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Regional would end up being the final collegiate competition for UCF's two other seniors -- Greg Eason and Kyle Wilshire.
Eason finished in a tie for seventh. He sandwiched a pair of 2-over rounds of 74 around a stellar 66 (-6) to end up at 2-under for the tournament. Wilshire finished tied for 25th. The final round of his collegiate career was a 1-under 71. For the tournament, he finished 4-over.
Junior Linus Vaisanen and freshman Federico Zucchetti rounded out UCF's lineup. Vaisanen was 1-over with a 73 Saturday to finish +10 for the tournament. Zucchetti carded a 2-over 74 Saturday. He was 68th with a final tally of 13-over.
As a team, the Knights were looking for a third consecutive trip the NCAA Championship round. But a rough second round on Friday proved to be their undoing. UCF turned in scores of 288 (E) and 290 (+2) in the first and third rounds. But a 294 (+6) on Friday was the difference.
Gouveia will take part in the stroke play portion of the NCAA Championship, which is slated for May 23-25 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan.
Team Results
1. Georgia 281-285-287=853 (-11)
2. Gerogia State 292-285-289=866 (+2)
3. Vanderbilt 295-273-299=867 (+3)
4. SMU 288-282-298=868 (+4)
5. UCLA 290-288-291=869 (+5)
---Top 5 Teams Advanced to Finals ---
6. TCU 290-288-293=871 (+7)
7. UCF 288-294-290=872 (+8)
8. Georgia Southern 291-287-302=880 (+16)
9. College of Charleston 285-296-302=883 (+19)
10. South Florida 296-295-296=887 (+23)
11. VCU 300-289-303=897 (+28)
12. Columbia 300-291-306=897 (+33)
13. Northwestern 299-303-314=916 (+52)
UCF Golfers
T5. Ricardo Gouveia 71-70-72=213 (-3)
T7. Greg Eason 74-66-74=214 (-2)
T25. Kyle Wilshire 68-81-71=220 (+4)
T56. Linus Vaisanen 75-78-73=226 (+10)
68. Federico Zucchetti 75-80-74=229 (+13)