Trosper Takes Title

SOUTH KENT, Conn. (UCFKnights.com) -- UCF's Donnie Trosper birdied the 18th hole at Bull's Bridge Golf Club to win the Hartford Hawks Invitational Tuesday afternoon. It was the sophomore's first collegiate victory.

Trosper was 10-under for the 36-hole tournament. He followed Monday's 65 (-7) with a 69 (-3) Tuesday, including that huge birdie on the final hole to win it. Trosper's great showing in the tournament led the Knights to a second-place team finish in the tournament. UCF finished just htree strokes behind tournament winner Cal Poly.

"I'm very happy for Donnie Trosper," head coach Bryce Wallor said after the round. "This is a golf course that certianly fits his game as he has played well in this event in both his freshman and sophomore seasons."

Trosper, who finished in a tie for fourth at this tournament last year, said he knew it could be a good tournament for him, based on how he was performing on the greens.

"The atmosphere around the course was extraordinary," Trosper said. "When my putting clicked this week, birdies were falling in left and right. It felt good to finally finish off a tournament with a victory. Our team played very well, but just got out-played by another solid team. Overall, we had a great tournament and I'm looking forward to the upcoming events."

The Knights had two finishers in the Top 5 for the tournament. Freshman Bobby Bai finished -5 and tied for fifth place. Kyler Tate (-1) tied for 18th. Ryan Stovash (+3) and Joshua August (+3) 
tied for 34th. Andrew Arft, who was taking part as an individual, ended up in a tie for 22nd after carding two round of even par 72.

"The team had a solid performance this week, finishing second in a large field," Wallor said. "We had several new players in the lineup and I think they did a great job performing at a high level. This is a team with a good bit of talent and I'm very excited to see our players continue to compete each week at practice for playing time. I feel they have the ability to be successful throughout the rest of the season."

The Knights were playing without two of their veterans at the Hartford Hawks Inivitational. Juuso Kahlos and Manuel Elvira are playing in the World Amateur Team Championship in Mexico this week, representing their countries of Finland and Spain, respectively.

The Hartford Hawks Invitational was shortened from a 54-hole event to a 36-hole tournament after inclement weather allowed just one round to be played Monday. There were 19 teams entered and only six were under par at the end of the tournament.

The Knights are back in action again Sept. 25-27 at the Jackrabbit Invitational in Valentine, Neb.

UCF Individual Scores

  *Playing as an individual

Team Scores