SEA ISLAND, Ga. – Senior Billy Horschel shot a 4-under-par 68 at the Frederica Golf Club Friday that left him tied for second place and Florida tied for third overall after the first round of the SEC Men’s Golf Championship.
Coach Buddy Alexander’s Gators totaled 4-over-par 292 as a team, 10 shots behind first-day leader Georgia. Arkansas was second eight strokes behind the Bulldogs and Florida found itself tied with Vanderbilt for third.
“It was another roller-coaster day for us,” Alexander said. “We had to count two high scores today, but we did battle back a little bit. Toby (Ragland) played a pretty good round (a 1-under 71) and Billy was Billy. He played a very solid round and kept us in it.”
Horschel got off to a good start, playing his first 10 holes without a bogey. He finished with four birdies in his last five holes and is one shot behind the first-round leader, Kentucky’s Jordan Blann, who shot 67 (-5). Horschel’s 68 is the lowest UF round at the SEC Championship since 2006.
Horschel and fellow senior Ragland carried the team in the first round, as they were the only two players to shoot sub-par rounds. Ragland’s 71 left him tied for eighth place.
Junior Tyson Alexander carded a 4-over par 76 and is tied for 32nd. Junior Tim McKenney and senior Will Strickler each shot 5-over-par 77s. They are tied for 40th place.
“We’ve got to be a whole lot better than we were today,” Alexander added. “Georgia played a great round and got a big lead. They’ve clearly been the best team this year. They’ll probably have to slip a little bit for us to catch them but we’re still in the tournament and hopefully tomorrow will be a little better.”
SEC MEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Team scores: 1. Georgia 282 (-6); 2. Arkansas 290 (+2); T3. Florida 292 (+4) and Vanderbilt 292 (+4); T5. Mississippi State 293 (+5) and South Carolina 293 (+5); 7. Mississippi 296 (+8); 8. Kentucky 297 (+9); T9. Louisiana State 301 (+13) and Auburn 301 (+13); 11. Tennessee 305 (+17); 12. Alabama 308 (+20).
Individual Top 10: 1. Jordan Blann (Kentucky) 67 (-5); T2. Billy Horschel (Florida) 68 (-4) and Mark Silvers III (South Carolina) 68 (-4); T4. David Lingmerth (Arkansas) 70 (-2), Will Roebuck (Mississippi) 70 (-2), Harris English (Georgia) 70 (-2) and Brian Harman (Georgia) 70 (-2); T8. Noah Goldman (Mississippi State) 71 (-1), Toby Ragland (Florida) 71 (-1), John Peterson (LSU) 71 (-1), Carlos Sainz Jr. (Mississippi State) 71 (-1), Russell Henley (Georgia) 71 (-1) and Hudson Swafford (Georgia) 71 (-1).
Florida scores: T2. Billy Horschel 68 (-4); T8. Toby Ragland 71 (-1); T32. Tyson Alexander 76 (+4); T40. Tim McKenney 77 (+5) and Will Strickler 77 (+5).