PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The UCF men's golf team finished sixth in its first tournament of 2023 on Monday, recording a team score of 874 (+10) at The Hayt Collegiate held at Sawgrass Country Club. The Knights were six over in the final round, equaling their score in the opening round from Sunday morning.
UCF finished one stroke shy of the top five, as Coastal Carolina carded an 873 (+9) to take fifth place. Second-ranked Vanderbilt won the event with an 836 (-28), No. 42 North Florida was second (852, -12), Florida Gulf Coast was third (869, +5) and Alabama was fourth (870, +6).
The Knights were in third place after making the turn at three over, but a tough back nine slid the squad to sixth.
Luis Carrera finished the tournament with a 215 (-1) after firing a 74 in the final round Monday. He was one under after the first nine holes, but a couple of tough holes on the back nine dropped him into a tie for 14th place.
Egor Eroshenko also carded a 74 (+2) in the final round to end the event with a 219 (+3). Johnny Travale shot a 77 (+5) in the last round on Monday and a 220 (+4) for the two-day tournament. Eroshenko and Travale finished 25th and 28th, respectively.
Markus Braadlie was a few shots behind with a 221 (+5) and turned in the best round of the day for the Knights with a 70 (-2), highlighted by four birdies. Freshman Tom Stephens had his best round Monday with three birdies to register a 76 (+4) and 233 in his collegiate debut event.
Juan Camilo Vesga competed as an individual and shot a 76 in the third round and a 227 for the tournament.
UCF will return to action at the Southern Highlands Collegiate hosted by UNLV in Las Vegas. The event is slated to begin on Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Southern Highlands Golf Club.
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