GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga started the Spring portion of its schedule with a strong third-place finish at the SunTrust Gator Invitational with a final round 298 (+18) on Sunday at the Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida. The final round was delayed due to frost as the Mocs and the 14-team field battled tough conditions both days.
"I would have liked a better result today," said Mocs head coach Mark Guhne. "But honestly I am pleased at the overall result. We finished third in tough weather conditions and answered questions from the Fall when we struggled mightily in tough weather.
"There is still work to do," added Guhne. "But I like the way we are starting, and we need to build on this performance."
Seniors Derek Rende and J.T. Clendenin led the Mocs in the 54-hole event. Rende finished tied for 13th at 215 (+5), while Clendenin had his best finish of the season tying for 19th at 218 (+8).
No. 4 Florida captured its seventh straight title in its home event shooting 279 (-1) in the final round to end up at 841, one-over par. No. 8 Florida State came in second at 859 (+19), while Lamar ended up one shot behind UTC at 870 (+30).
Ole Miss' Jonathan Randolph captured medalist honors at even-par 210. LSU's Andrew Loupe was one shot back at 211 (+1), while a trio of Gators - Tyson Alexander, Andres Echavarria and Tim McKenney - tied for third at 212 (+2).
Stephan Jaeger's 74 today placed him tied for 23rd overall at 219 (+9). Fredrik Qvicker shot 78 in the final 18 for a total of 222 (+12), while Steven Fox ended tied for 45th at 224 (+14).
The Mocs are now off until March 8-9 when they travel to Aiken, S.C., for the Cleveland Golf/Palmetto Intercollegiate at the Palmetto Golf Club. UTC won the event in 2008 in its last visit to Palmetto.
LEADERBOARD
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1) No. 4 Florida
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283-279-279
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841 (+1)
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2) No. 8 Florida State
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283-291-285
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859 (+19)
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3) Chattanooga
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282-289-298
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869 (+29)
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4) Lamar
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295-294-281
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870 (+30)
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T5) Duke
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300-288-284
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872 (+32)
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T5) LSU
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297-297-278
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872 (+32)
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7) North Florida
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296-291-286
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873 (+33)
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8) UCF
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296-292-291
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879 (+39)
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9) Georgia Southern
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301-291-291
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883 (+43)
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10) Ole Miss
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299-289-298
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886 (+46)
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11) UAB
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297-294-299
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890 (+50)
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12) Coastal Carolina
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300-304-294
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989 (+58)
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13) Mississippi State
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302-303-295
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900 (+60)
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14) Georgia State
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300-304-297
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901 (+61)
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Mocs:
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T13) Derek Rende
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68-74-73
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215 (+5)
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T19) J.T. Clendenin
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72-72-74
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218 (+8)
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T23) Stephan Jaeger
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76-69-74
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219 (+9)
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T36) Fredrik Qvicker
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70-74-78
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222 (+12)
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T45) Steven Fox
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72-75-77
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224 (+14)
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NOTES:
>Chattanooga was paired Florida and Florida State in the final round.
>The field included two top 10 teams (Golfweek/Golfstat rankings) in the Gators (4/4) and FSU (8/16). All-in-all, six schools rank in the Golfstat top 40, including the Mocs at No. 40, entering the event.
>Mocs four counting scores on Holes 1-9: +23...Holes 10-18: +6.
>Birdies (Round 1/2/3 Counters): 22 (10/6/6)...J.T. Clendenin 8 (3/2/3), Fredrick Qvicker 7 (5/2/0), Derek Rende 4 (2/0/2), Stephan Jaeger 3 (1/2/0) and Steven Fox 1 (0/0/1).
>Qvicker and Jaeger joined Rende and Fox from yesterday in posting their first birdie-less rounds of the season.
>Clendenin posted his first top 20 of the season finishing tied for 19th...He led the Mocs with eight birdies for the 54 holes.
>Rende counted all three rounds...He is the only UTC golfer to count every round thus far.
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