After winning the 49th Gators Invitational against a stacked field that included the two most recent national championship programs, the Florida men\u2019s golf team climbed to No. 3 in the official NCAA Rankings.<\/p>\n
The Gators finished the weekend at Mark Bostick Golf Course 27-under with a 14-shot victory over No. 2 Auburn and 25 shots ahead of No. 12 Oklahoma. The tournament marked the team\u2019s fourth consecutive tournament victory this season \u2013\u00a0tied for the third-longest in program history since UF last achieved the mark in the 1995-96 season.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Winning the home tournament marked Florida\u2019s 32nd Gators Invitational team title in the event\u2019s 49-year history and extended the program\u2019s streak to seven consecutive wins at its home tournament. That streak ranks third all-time in tournament history, behind Florida\u2019s eight straight wins from 2004-11 and nine straight from 1989-97.<\/p>\n
The tournament title was the 36th of coach J.C. Deacon\u2019s tenure and Florida\u2019s 813 total score ranks as his third-lowest at the Gators Invitational.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt didn\u2019t feel easy,\u201d Deacon said after the tournament. \u201cBut the special thing with this team is if we take care of our business and play our best, I think we know we can beat anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
All five golfers in Florida\u2019s lineup finished under par, led by junior Noah Kent and senior Matthew Kress.<\/p>\n
Kent shot 68 (-2) in all three rounds and led the tournament with 17 birdies in his first home tournament appearance in the lineup, as Kress matched him tying his career-low 54-hole score at 204 (-6).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just shows that we are one of the best teams in the country,\u201d Kent said after beating No. 2 Auburn. \u201cTo put them down by a couple shots is pretty cool, especially on your home turf.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Gators will make their next tournament appearance in Las Vegas at the Southern Highlands Collegiate from March 1-3, and then have two remaining regular season events in the Pauma Valley Invitational (March 16-18) and Calusa Cup (April 5-7).<\/p>\n