ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) -- Junior Manuel Elvira and freshman Bobby Bai led the Knights Tuesday during the final round of the American Athletic Conference Championship. Elvira finished seventh overall and Bai climbed the leaderboard to 15th. As a team, the Knights finished fourth in the tournament, held at Innisbrook Resort on the Copperhead Course.
Elvira finished 3-over for the tournament and took seventh place. He carded scores of 69 (-2), 72 (+1) and 75 (+4) over the three days. A pair of bogeys in the final two holes kept him out of the Top 5 and derailed any thoughts of a late run at the individual title. He was just two strokes off the lead with four holes left to play.
Bai rebounded from a shaky start in his first-ever conference championship event at the collegiate level. He was tied for 38th after carding a 78 (+7) in the first round. He improved in Monday's second round, tallying a 75 (+4). Bai really found his groove on the Copperhead Course Tuesday. He opened with a pair of birdies on the first two holes and was even at the turn. The back nine began with a birdie on the Par 4 10th hole. He later tallied birdies on Nos. 14 and 16, as well. His 3-under score of 68 Tuesday was the best score of the tournament for the Knights. It also lifted him all the way to 15th place.
Sophomore Kyler Tate (74-76-73-223 +10) ended up in a tie for 20th place. Junior Juuso Kahlos (73-74-78-225 +12) finished tied for 27th. Sophomore Donnie Trosper carded back-to-back scores of 73 in the first two rounds, but was disqualified in round three after signing an incorrect scorecard.