2013 Men's Golf - Year In Review
Trey Jones, Head Coach
Robert Duck, Assistant Coach
Matt Savage, Assistant Coach
Chad Smith, Operations Manager
Click here to see individual mug shots
2013 Men's Golf - Year In Review | |
| Coaching Staff Trey Jones, Head Coach Robert Duck, Assistant Coach Matt Savage, Assistant Coach Chad Smith, Operations Manager Click here to see individual mug shots |
|
Cristobal Del Solar, 6-1, Vina del Mar, Chile
Collin Engelhardt, 5-8, Orlando
Hank Lebioda, 5-11, Winter Springs
Berger Named PING First Team All-American. Berger is named by the GCAA after placing second at NCAAs. May 31, 2013 TALLAHASSEE, FL - Following the NCAA
Championships stroke play on Thursday, the Golf Coaches Association of America released the PING First Team All-Americans with Daniel Berger making the 11-member team. "It is such a great honor to
have my name beside so many other great players in college golf," said Berger. "It shows how hard I've worked over the past year and how much I've improved since I got to FSU. I'm thankful for all the
resources FSU has provided me to allow me to become the best player I can be, but also a better person. Coach (Trey) Jones and coach (Robert) Duck have been really patient with me and that is one of
the reasons why I chose Florida State and it was the best decision I've ever made." Berger wrapped up his sophomore season at the NCAA Championships finishing tied for second with a 6-under 204.
This season he was named to the Palmer Cup and to the All-ACC team after leading the conference in stroke average. The Jupiter, Fla., native won his first collegiate tournament this spring as he
lead the Seminoles at the Gator Invitational. Only two tournaments later, he took home the title at the Seminole Intercollegiate in Tallahassee. Of the 11 tournaments he played in this year, he placed
fifth or better eight times. He lead the Seminoles with most tournament wins, best individual round (gross and vs. par) and best individual tournament gross score (203 at Gator Invitational). His
tied for second showing at the NCAA Championships marks the best finish for a Seminole since Nolan Henke in 1997 when he finishes second. The last first team All-American for the Seminoles was in
2008 by Jonas Blixt.
2013 Roster - By Name
L
T PY
R Name Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown (Prior School)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Daniel Berger 6-1 185 So * Jupiter (Dwyer)
* Rowin Caron 6-0 Fr Terheijden, Netherlands (RSG't Rijks)
Cristobal Del Solar 6-1 Fr Vina del Mar, Chile (IMG Academy)
* Collin Engelhardt 5-8 Fr Orlando (Trinity Prep)
* Bjorn Hellgren 6-1 175 Jr * Vasteras, Sweden (Rudbeckianska Gymnasiet)
* Hank Lebioda 5-11 Fr Winter Springs (Trinity Prep)
* Doug Letson 5-9 Sr *** Tampa (Plant)
* Joaquin Lolas 6-1 Jr-R ** Lima, Peru (Markham)
* Chase Seiffert 6-2 185 Sr * Panama City (Mosley/Central Alabama CC)
From the FSU Website, seminoles.com.
2013 Conference Awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Berger Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
Hank Lebioda Atlantic Coast Conference - Freshman of the Year
Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
Chase Seiffert Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
All-Conference - 3
2013 All-Americans
Name Organization
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Berger NCAA - All-American - 2nd place
Golf Coaches Association of America - 1st Team All-American
Golf Week - 1st Team All-American
Chase Seiffert Golf Week - All-American - Honorable Mention
All-Americans - 2
2013 Schedule and Results
GAME |
SCORE |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness Intercollegiate September 17-18, 2012, Toledo, Ohio |
|||||
| Ping-Golfweek Preview September 23-25, 2012, Alpharetta, Ga. |
|||||
| Fighting Illini Invitational September 30-October 2, 2012, Olympia Fields, Ill. |
|||||
| Cabo Collegiate October 14-16, 2012, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico |
|||||
| Gator Invitational February 9-10, 2013, Gainesville, Fla. |
|||||
| South Florida Invitational March 3-5, 2013, Dade City, Fla. |
|||||
| Seminole Intercollegiate March 15-17, 2013 |
|||||
| C&F Bank Invitational March 24-26, 2013, Williamsburg, Va. |
|||||
| Gary Koch Intercollegiate April 8-9, 2013, Tampa, Fla. |
|||||
| ACC Championship April 26-28, 2013, New London, N.C. |
|||||
| NCAA Tallahassee Regional May 16-18, 2013 |
|||||
| NCAA Championship May 28-30, 2013, Alpharetta, Ga. |
EOY StatsRef Overall Home Away Neutral ------------------------------------------------ FSU record is 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0
2013 Atlantic Coast Conference Results 1 Duke 839 2t Florida State 842 2t Virginia Tech 842 4 Georgia Tech 851 5 Clemson 859 6 Virginia 862 7 North Carolina 869 8 Wake Forest 872 9 North Carolina State 881 10 Maryland 883 11 Boston College 896
2013 EOY Stats
Name Tournaments Rounds Par Low Strokes Wins Top10 Ave ======================================================================== Daniel Berger 11 29 22 65 2,024 2 8 69.79 Chase Seiffert 11 31 19 66 2,202 0 7 71.03 Joaquin Lolas 3 7 5 67 501 0 1 71.57 Hank Lebioda 10 28 14 66 2,019 0 3 72.11 Rowin Caron 10 26 13 68 1,880 1 3 72.31 Doug Letson 11 29 14 66 2,106 0 2 72.62 Bjorn Hellgren 4 12 2 70 893 0 0 74.42 Collin Engelhardt 5 13 2 71 974 0 0 74.92
Noles Tie For Second At Inverness Intercollegiate.
Senior Chase Seiffert led FSU with a tied for third finish.
TOLEDO, OH -The Florida State men's golf team concluded its first tournament of the season by finishing in a three-way tie for second place in a 10 team field at the Inverness Intercollegiate. The team carded a 27-over total of 879 over two days and 54 holes at the Inverness Club. Senior Chase Seiffert tied for third to lead the Garnet and Gold.
"We have a long way to go right now," said head coach Trey Jones. "It was one of the hardest golf courses on a day where it was windy, rainy and cold. Each player's weaknesses were exposed during the day. That's why we chose this tournament so we could show the guys what they need to work on so we have a clear idea of what they need to improve upon."
Seiffert (Panama City, Fla.) played strong on the back nine as he made three birdies to finish the third round with a 2-over 73. He totaled a 3-over 216 en route to his third place finish.
"It's a really good start to the season for Chase," continued Jones. "You hate to lose a golf tournament by a shot but the impressive part was he was 3-over on the tournament and had a chance to win it. He played the tenth hole 4-over par and that's an easier hole. After a double bogey, bogey start by our seniors we needed them to do what they did."
Freshman Collin Engelhardt (Orlando, Fla.) finished the tournament in a tie for 20th along with senior Doug Letson (Tampa, Fla.). Engelhardt shot a 5-over 76 on the last day by making 11 pars and one birdie. Engelhardt finished the tournament with a 9-over 222. Letson carded a 6-over 77 on Tuesday and had consecutive birdies on holes 12 and 13. He matched Engelhardt's 9-over 222 three-round total.
Finishing the tournament in a tie for 27th was junior Bjorn Hellgren. The Vasteras, Sweden native shot two birdies on the back nine for a 4-over 75 and finished with a three-round total of 11-over 224.
Freshman Hank Lebioda wrapped up the Seminoles' lineup by carding a 13-over 226 for the tournament after a third round 8-over 79 total.
Inverness Club, Toledo, Oh, Par 71 - 7255 yards 1 Northwestern +16 285 288 295 868 T2 Florida State +27 289 289 301 879 T2 Kent State +27 289 292 298 879 T2 North Texas +27 284 284 311 879 5 Liberty +31 294 289 300 883 6 Michigan State +35 299 291 297 887 7 South Florida +37 293 286 310 889 8 Penn State +42 296 292 306 894 T9 Michigan +48 297 291 312 900 T9 Toledo +48 300 299 301 900
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Chase Seiffert 3t 73 70 73 216 Collin Engelhardt 20t 71 75 76 222 Doug Letson 20t 76 69 77 222 Bjorn Hellgren 27t 73 76 75 224 Hank Lebioda 37t 72 75 79 226
Noles Close Out PING/Golfweek Preview.
Sophomore Daniel Berger closed out the third day with a 1-under 69 round three score.
ALPHARETTA, GA - Sophomore Daniel Berger closed out the PING/Golfweek Preview with a 1-under 69 score in the third and final round of the tournament. The Florida State men's golf team finished the event in 14th place with a 33-over 873 on the 7,248 yard, par-70 Capital City Club Crabapple in Alpharetta, Ga.
"We are obviously disappointed in our result this week," said head coach Trey Jones. "I scheduled this event so we could get four rounds on the course that will host the National Championship this year and to see where we are with the nation's top teams."
Berger, a native of Jupiter, Fla., finished the tournament with his best score of the event with a 1-under 69. He carded 13 pars and three birdies on Tuesday to finished the tournament with a 3-over 213 tied in 16th.
"The big difference for Daniel today is he cut down on his big numbers," continued Jones. "He was not sharp early on but looked like he was in control most of the day. There were not many under par rounds this week."
Finishing next for the Seminoles was freshman Rowin Caron (Terhejiden, The Netherlands) with a three round total of 10-over 220. He finished the tournament tied for 50th after a third round 3-over 73. The Seminole struggled on the back nine with five bogeys but improved his play after the turn where he carded two birdies on the front nine.
Senior Chase Seiffert (Panama City, Fla.) and junior Bjorn Hellgren (Vasteras, Sweden) finished the tournament tied for 61st with two 13-over 223s. Seiffert finished the third day with consecutive birdies on holes No. 2 and 3 for a score of 4-over 74. Hellgren finished with a 5-over 75 third round score.
Freshman Collin Engelhardt (Orlando, Fla.) finished the event only one stroke behind Seiffert and Hellgren with a 14-over 224 to finish tied for 66th. The Seminole finished the tournament by carding a 6-over 76.
"Now it is our job to use this information in the short term and long term," concluded Jones. "We have another short turn around before we head to Olympia Fields in Chicago."
The Seminoles were part of a 15-team field that features 14 top 25 teams. Joining No. 18 Florida State are No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Texas, No. 3 UCLA, No. 6 Cal, No. 8 Georgia Tech, No. 10 Washington, No. 11 Texas A&M, No. 12 Arkansas, No. 14 San Diego, No. 15 Kent State, No. 16 UNLV, No. 20 New Mexico, No. 24 Georgia and No. 32 Chattanooga playing on the site of the 2013 National Championship.
Capital City Club - Crabapple: Crabapple Course Par 70 - 7248 yards T1 Georgia Tech 287 282 276 845 T1 California 289 280 276 845 T3 Texas 290 283 280 853 T3 UNLV 281 286 286 853 T5 UCLA 282 284 288 854 T5 Washington 289 282 283 854 7 New Mexico 287 284 286 857 8 Georgia 288 291 280 859 T9 Alabama 294 284 283 861 T9 San Diego State 287 288 286 861 T11 Arkansas 288 292 289 869 T11 Kent State 290 290 289 869 13 Texas A&M 294 280 296 870 14 Florida State 290 292 291 873 15 Chattanooga 295 301 298 894
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 16t 72 72 69 213 Rowin Caron 50t 72 75 73 220 Bjorn Hellgren 61t 74 74 75 223 Chase Seiffert 61t 72 77 74 223 Collin Engelhardt 66t 77 71 76 224
Noles Finish Third At Illini Invitational.
Daniel Berger placed second at the tournament for his best finish at Florida State.
OLYMPIA, IL - The Florida State men's golf team finished third at the Olympia Fields/Illini Invitational on Tuesday with sophomore Daniel Berger tied for second. The team carded an 11-over 291 Tuesday to finished with a three round total of 29-over 869. The Garnet and Gold played at the Olympia Fields Country Club South Course against 13 other teams.
"The conditions out there were really tough today," said head coach Trey Jones. "We probably won't play a harder golf course under harder conditions than what we played today. It was a good experience for the guys, which is why we came out here. I was happy with how they responded to the conditions. The things we didn't do well we can work on, I think it was a step forward in the right direction."
Berger, a sophomore from Jupiter, Fla., concluded the tournament with an even par 70 to finish tied for second with a three day total of 2-over 212 where he finished with the fourth most birdies in the invitational (11). This is Berger's best finish since he finished third at the 2012 ACC Championship.
"Daniel finished 16th a week ago and runner-up this week," continued Jones. "In this sport, if you keep giving yourself a chance to win, you are doing really well. I'm proud of what he did and if he continues to do what he does, he'll get his wins."
Hank Lebioda (Winter Springs, Fla.) had his best tournament at Florida State by finishing in a tie for 17th with a three round 7-over 217. The freshman finished the tournament with three consecutive birdies from holes No. 9, 10 and 11 to finish the day with a 1-over 71.
"Hank gave us a chance to play really well the last two days," finished Jones. "He's leaning a lot and that's why we came out here so the team gets exposed and more open to learning what they need to do. If Hanks continues to learn and to be coachable, he's going to do nothing but get better. We always know the players have talent, but it's what they do with it that is better than having it."
Finishing third on the team was senior Chase Seiffert. The Panama City, Fla., native carded five birdies in the third round but faced trouble on hole No. 14 to finished the day with a 4-over 74. He finished the tournament tied at 23 with a 9-over 219 score.
Finishing the tournament tied at 46th was senior Doug Letson (Tampa, Fla.) who finished the tournament with a 17-over 227 while junior Bjorn Hellgren (Vasteras, Sweden) carded a 20-over 230 to finish in a tied for 60th.
Course:Olympia Fields CC: South Course Par 70 - 7080 Yards 1 15 Arkansas 283 278 293 854 2 4 Florida 295 286 286 867 3 39 Florida State 293 285 291 869 T4 35 Duke 291 291 291 873 T4 Stanford 297 285 291 873 T6 13 Northwestern 288 290 297 875 T6 48 Auburn 289 284 302 875 8 Oklahoma State 293 287 296 876 9 2 SMU 299 289 291 879 T10 25 Indiana 300 291 296 887 T10 19 Clemson 301 291 295 887 T10 18 Illinois 295 297 295 887 13 Augusta State 305 288 301 894
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 2t 70 72 70 212 Hank Lebioda 17t 77 69 71 217 Chase Seiffert 23t 77 68 74 219 Doug Letson 46t 72 79 76 227 Bjorn Hellgren 60t 74 76 80 230
Name Place Rnd1 Total ========================= ===== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 5t 73 73 Rowin Caron 12t 74 74 Collin Engelhardt 24t 76 76 Hank Lebioda 31t 77 77 Doug Letson 31t 77 77
Berger and Seminoles Win Gator Invitational.
This is the first time the team has won in Gainesville since 1981.
GAINESVILLE, FL – The No. 23 Florida State men’s golf team won the SunTrust Gator Invitational Sunday for the first time since 1981 with a team score of 8-under 832. The team won by 15 strokes today at the Mark Bostick Golf Course on the University of Florida. Sophomore Daniel Berger won the individual title today for the first time in his career.
“I can’t explain how well this team played this weekend,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Placing four guys in the top 12 and straight scores at par or better show our depth. From start to finished the guys never got ahead of themselves today.”
Sophomore Daniel Berger started the day in second and posted a strong back nine with four birdies to finish first. After having trouble Saturday on the 14th hole with a double bogey, the Jupiter, Fla., native carded a birdie on the same hole today to help post his career low round score of 65 (5-under). The Seminole finished with a three round total of 7-under 203.
“It feels great to get my first collegiate win but even better to win as a team,” said Berger. “We went out there and won it, no one handed us this win. To win on the Gator’s home course the way we did shows we can play against anyone and come out on top.”
“I am so proud of Daniel for his first win,” said Jones. “Three rounds in the 60’s and a closing 65 was impressive.”
Senior Doug Letson played some of his best golf at Florida State this weekend when he finished the tournament tied for third, it ties his highest finish at FSU. After posting a career low round of 66 yesterday, the Tampa, Fla., native posted a 2-under 68 for a tournament total of 2-under 208. Senior Chase Seiffert continued his stellar play at Florida State with three straight rounds at par. He finished the tournament in ninth place with an even par 210.
“It is an awesome feeling to get this win for not only the program but for Coach Jones,” said Seiffert. “He has wanted to win this for years and I’m glad to be a part of this winning team. This is a great start to me and Doug’s last semester of college golf.”
Freshman Hank Lebioda had the best tournament of his young career with a 2-over 212 to finish tied for 12th. The Winter Springs, Fla., native had three birdies and only one bogey to finish the day with his career round low of 68 (2-under). After starting the day in 28th, he moved up 16 spots. Freshman Rowin Caron posted an even par 70 today to finish the event tied for 25th with a six-over 216.
“I am really proud of the bounce back I had after my first round,” said Lebioda. “Having (assistant coach) Matt (Savage) walking every hole with me really helped me settle down and play my own game. Being able to contribute all three rounds to help win the Gator Invitational is huge for me. I couldn’t be prouder of the guys and how we played.”
The Seminoles were part of a 14-team field including No. 3 Florida, No. 12 Arkansas, No. 31 Liberty, No. 34 North Florida, No. 41 Mississippi State, No. 47 UCF, UAB, South Alabama, Georgia Southern, Memphis, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State and Lamar. Rankings come from GolfStat.
Course: Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida: Championship Tees, Par 70 - 6701 Yards Place Rank Team To Par Round One Round Two Round Three Total 1 23 Florida State -8 289 272 271 832 2 34 North Florida +7 287 283 277 847 3 South Alabama +10 291 284 275 850 4 3 Florida +11 282 288 281 851 5 47 Central Florida +19 292 288 279 859 6 12 Arkansas +20 287 288 285 860 t7 31 Liberty +21 288 284 289 861 t7 Georgia Southern +21 289 288 284 861 9 Alabama-Birmingham +22 283 290 289 862 10 41 Mississippi State +27 296 284 287 867 11 Memphis +28 290 288 290 868 12 Lamar +34 301 289 284 874 13 Kennesaw State +37 295 293 289 877 14 Jacksonville +40 284 297 299 880
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 1 69 69 65 203 Doug Letson 3t 74 66 68 208 Chase Seiffert 9 70 70 70 210 Hank Lebioda 12t 76 68 68 212 Rowin Caron 25t 77 69 70 216
FSU Finishes USF Invitational Third; Place Three In Top Ten.
The Seminoles had individuals finish tied for second, fifth and tied for tenth.
DADE CITY, FL - The No. 16 Florida State men's golf team posted a 4-under 284 Tuesday, March 5, to close out the USF Invitational. With a three-day total of a 1-under 863, the team finished in third place for its fifth top five showing of the season. The Seminoles finished two strokes behind second place South Carolina and three behind first place NC State at the Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club.
"Starting the day 12 shots behind we knew it was going to take a really good effort from our players," said head coach Trey Jones. "Hank (Lebioda) put the team on his shoulders early on and gave us a chance to win with four holes to play. You come to tournaments to compete and win; in the game of golf you don't get to win a lot. While we came up short, I am sure we learned from this experience and will use this the next time we play."
Freshman Hank Lebioda posted his first collegiate top five finish after posting a tournament low round of 66 today. The Winter Springs, Fla., native finished the tournament fifth with a 4-under 212. Lebioda had a 5-under front nine Tuesday beginning the morning with four straight birdies and an eagle on hole No. 9.
"I felt really good out there," said Lebioda. "One of the things Coach Jones and I have been working on is getting in the right mindset from the first tee shot. I was able to do that today and it definitely paid off."
Sophomore Daniel Berger had his fourth top five finish of the season with a 5-under 211 today, good for a tie for second place. The Jupiter, Fla., native posted a 1-over 73 Tuesday. Senior Doug Letson finished the tournament with an even par 72 in a tie for 10th. With a 1-under 71 today, the Tampa, Fla., native posted his second top ten performance of the spring.
"Daniel had another good tournament," continued Jones. "He had a chance to win late in the day. Doug played solid all week and earned another top ten finish. Hank continues to improve and had the low round of the tournament today."
Senior Chase Seiffert had his best round today with a 2-over 75 to finish tied for 30th with a tournament total of 8-over 224. Freshman Rowin Caron posted a seven stroke improvement from yesterday with a 2-over 74. Caron finished the three-day event in a tie for 63rd with a 16-plus 232.
Freshman Collin Engelhardt finished tied for 68th as he played as an individual. He carded a 5-over 77 for a three day total of 18-over 234.
The Seminoles were part of a 17-team field with Cincinnati, DePaul, Eastern Michigan, Kennesaw State, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Mercer, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina State, Rice, South Carolina, South Florida, Troy, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 2t 71 67 73 211 Hank Lebioda 5 74 72 66 212 Doug Letson 10t 73 72 71 216 Chase Seiffert 30t 75 75 74 224 Rowin Caron 63t 77 81 74 232 Collin Engelhardt * 68t 78 79 77 234
Seminole Intercollegiate Sweep!
Berger claims top individual honors, while FSU rolls to 7-shot victory.
TALLAHASSEE, FL - Joaquin Lolas and Bjorn Hellgren got the Florida State men's golf team off to a fast start and teammate Daniel Berger tacked on the exclamation point to Sunday's final round of the Seminole Intercollegiate at the Southwood Golf Course.
Berger rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt at No. 17 and finished with a two-putt par at 18 to capture top individual honors, leading his team to a successful tournament title defense.
Florida State has now won three of the four Seminole Intercollegiate team titles since the tournament moved to Southwood in 2010. Berger is the fourth consecutive FSU player to claim the top individual honors, following in the footsteps of Brooks Koepka (2012), Drew Kittleson (2011) and Seath Lauer (2010).
"Winning at home is awesome, because we won it last year and Brooks won it individually," Berger said, after closing out the 54-hole event at 11-under. "To keep that tradition going is even better. The last three (tournaments this season) have been awesome. We won the Gator and I won it individually. ... To come here and defend is even better."
The day began with the 17th-ranked Seminoles holding a one-shot lead over No. 36 Mississippi State and Berger deadlocked atop the leaderboard with Coastal Carolina's Sebastian Soderberg at 8-under.
By the time the first scores of the day were posted after three holes, FSU had opened up a six-shot lead over Mississippi State and were never seriously threatened, closing with a four-man, final round total of 10-under, 278. The Seminoles' three-day, 25-under (839) total - their fewest tournament strokes under par this season by a whopping 18 - was seven shots clear of the runner-up Bulldogs.
"The main thing was we did get off to a good start," FSU coach Trey Jones said. "The guys executed well early on. That Mississippi State team and that Coastal Carolina team didn't go away. They just kept firing at birdies and making putts. We had to continue to match them. We weren't going to be able to stay where we were at. We had to continue to play well."
Berger did his part with a final-round 69 to finish 11-under (205) for the tournament. That was one shot better than Seminole teammate Chase Seiffert, who played as an individual, Mississippi State's Joe Sakulpolphaisan and Soderberg. The FSU sophomore made the turn at 1-under on the day but birdies at Nos. 10 and 11 supplied the momentum as he headed toward the clubhouse.
The turning point came after he knocked his 3-wood into the right bunker at No. 11, but blasted out for a tap-in birdie; indicative of how his short game played out all day. Then at 17 and still at 10-under - the same as Seiffert who was already in the clubhouse - Berger came up with his most important shot of the tournament.
"I had 230 (yards) into the wind and hit a little sawed-off 3-iron to about 20 feet and made the putt," Berger said. "I had been hitting my long irons good all week and just had to be a man and hit it where I wanted and where I was looking. It was perfect yardage."
From the 18th fairway, Berger knocked his second shot onto the green and navigated the final 25 feet in two putts to preserve the one-shot win after Sakulpolphaisan snaked in a 20-foot birdie to get to 10-under and apply a couple anxious moments.
"He's just an extremely talented player that's just getting better and better," Jones said, after Berger collected his second collegiate victory. "The more he puts himself in the situation I think the better he'll be. We're fortunate that he's getting better and he's carrying our golf bag."
Ironically, Berger sealed the win on what he described as his worst day of ball-striking over the 54-hole event.
"I hit four greens on the front nine," he said. "I was just getting up and down from everywhere. I was just grinding. Every day you've got to keep fighting."
Berger's mentality left an even stronger impression on Jones.
"He's a competitor and he knows why he's out here," Jones said. "As soon as he hits a bad shot he gets to the next one. That's a talent onto itself and he's phenomenal with that. ... That's what separates him from all the other guys."
Two other Seminoles passed Sunday's mental test with flying colors. Lolas, playing in his first event of the spring in the lineup, matched Seiffert for low round of the day with a 5-under, 67 which vaulted him to a share of seventh place in the final standings.
"The first couple of rounds were actually not bad," said Lolas, who entered the final round at 1-under. "I played pretty solid golf and just couldn't build any momentum. ... Today I was really patient. I just let my round develop today and just let the small things from the first few holes give my confidence to keep making birdies."
Lolas drained three birdies on the front side, including a 15-foot putt at No. 6 that really built his confidence. He shrugged off a bogey at No. 8 with what he described as "an unbelievable up-and-down" birdie from behind the green at No. 10, then flushed a 30-foot birdie putt at No. 13.
"I put myself in the same position yesterday," Lolas said. "My mindset maybe changed a little bit yesterday and I was thinking more about the team and how we were doing. Today all I thought was just about my game and the more birdies I can make the better I can help the team."
Equally impressive was Hellgren's rebound from a pair of bogeys after three holes on Sunday. The Seminoles had not counted one of Hellgren's rounds through the first two days and warmly welcomed the birdie barrage - five in an eight hole stretch from Nos. 4-11 - that sparked a 2-under 70.
"For Joaquin to go out and shoot 67 and Bjorn to shoot 70 - when your first guys off the tee box go get you 7-under - and you know what you've got behind them with a couple All-Americans, we were going to be hard to beat," Jones said.
Freshman Hank Lebioda gutted out a final round 72 to close out the team scoring for the `Noles.
In all, five Seminioles finished in the top 11, including Seiffert and Rowin Caron, who did not count toward the team scoring.
Starting on the back nine, Seiffert opened birdie-eagle-birdie on his way to a closing round 67 and his 10-under finish. He sandwiched a pair of two-putt birdies around a chip-in from 30 yards left of the cart path for an eagle-2 at the par-4, 11th.
"To chip-in on 11 was a good shot but it was also a lot of luck from where I was," Seiffert admitted. "It was an awesome start to the round."
Tied for second entering the final round, Seiffert was eager to stay in the mix for low individual honors.
"I thought I had to come out and at least get to 10-under to have a chance," said Seiffert, who at one point was locked in a three-way tie for the lead with Caron and Berger at 9-under. "I knew I played a good round out there."
Caron's final round 69 left him alone in fifth place at 9-under for the tournament.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 1 67 69 69 205 Chase Seiffert * 2t 71 68 67 206 Rowin Caron * 5 70 68 69 207 Joaquin Lolas 7t 71 72 67 210 Hank Lebioda 11t 68 73 72 213 Doug Letson 15t 71 70 74 215 Bjorn Hellgren 17t 72 74 70 216 Collin Engelhardt * 29t 72 73 73 218
Name Place Rnd1 Total ========================= ===== ==== ===== Rowin Caron 5t 69 69 Chase Seiffert 5t 69 69 Daniel Berger 25t 73 73 Joaquin Lolas 79t 76 76 Doug Letson 91t 77 77
Florida State Nabs Third Title Of The Season.
Freshman Rowin Caron garners his first collegiate tournament.
TAMPA, FL - The Seminoles knew they had a challenge to hold on to their lead at the Gary Koch Invitational on Tuesday. With the strong play of everyone on the team, No. 18 Florida State passed the test and came away with its third victory of the spring.
En route to the team title, freshman Rowin Caron came away with his first collegiate individual title as he tied for first. All six Seminoles competing the past two days finished in the top 12 at the par 72, 7389 yard Old Memorial Golf Club.
"It's great to see the guys' hard work pay off with today's win," said head coach Trey Jones. "We did what we had to do to win. Rowin putted very well on Monday. I'm so proud of him getting his first collegiate win and look forward for more to come. Anytime you have all your players finish in the top 12 is an amazing feeling."
Entering the third round, the Seminoles had a one stroke lead and ended up finishing the tournament with a seven stroke lead over No. 8 Georgia Tech. The team posted a 2-under 286 Tuesday for a three-round total of 23-under 841.
After posting a 2-over on the front nine, Caron came back strong after he made the turn and finished the day with a 1-under 71 for a two-day total of 207 (-9). With no playoff for the individual honor, Caron tied with Georgia Tech's Bo Andrews.
"My game plan was mainly to hit as many greens as possible because I knew the up and downs would be hard," said Caron. "I actually didn't hit the ball that well yesterday but putted really well which gave me two 68s. Today I hit the ball better; hit a lot of greens but the putts wouldn't really drop. I just enjoyed myself and played consistent."
Sophomore Daniel Berger posted a 2-over on the front nine but bounced back with a birdie followed by an eagle on the back nine. Berger carded a 71 on Tuesday for a tournament score of 5-under 211. Berger has now placed fifth or better in six tournaments this year.
"I knew we needed a strong finish to keep us in contention," said Berger. "I settled down on the back nine and hit a really nice shot from 210 to 5 feet on the 11th hole and then on 12 had a 30 footer for eagle and hit a great putt that went in. It felt so good to be able to help the team out although it wasn't my best day."
Freshman Hank Lebioda and senior Chase Seiffert both finished the tournament in tenth place with a 2-under 214. Lebioda turned in a 70 in the third round while Seiffert carded a 3-over 75.
"I was really proud of how I played the last two rounds," said Lebioda. "To be able to battle and hang in there gives me a lot of confidence going into postseason. It means a lot to be a part of the three line-ups that won this spring. Knowing that you helped your team to a win is a feeling hard to match."
Senior Doug Letson and junior Joaquin Lolas posted nearly identical scores the past two days. They both finished the day with 2-over 74s for a three-round total of 1-under 215. Letson and Lolas finished tied for 12th.
The Seminoles were part of a 14-team field including No. 8 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Florida, No. 19 North Florida, No. 20 Auburn, No. 26 Wake Forest, No. 50 Georgia Southern, College of Charleston, Jacksonville, Kentucky, Ohio State, Pacific, South Florida and UNCG.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Rowin Caron 1t 68 68 71 207 Daniel Berger 4t 69 71 71 211 Chase Seiffert 10t 71 68 75 214 Hank Lebioda 10t 74 70 70 214 Doug Letson 12t 70 71 74 215 Joaquin Lolas * 12t 71 70 74 215
Florida State Leads By 11 Strokes After First Day Of ACCs.
The Seminoles have four players in the top five.
April 26, 2013
NEW LONDON, NC - Coming into the ACC Men's Golf Championships, the Seminoles knew they had to play well and they did just that on the first day of competition. No. 13 Florida State has an 11 stroke lead at the Old North State Club over second place Virginia Tech. The teamed finished with a 17-under 271, their best round ever at the ACC Championships.
"The guys came out level headed and executed well all day," said head coach Trey Jones. "The golf course rewarded good shots and penalized missed hit shots. We have to continue executing at a very high level tomorrow and do the same on Sunday."
Sophomore Daniel Berger posted eight birdies including one on the 18th hole. With a 7-under 65, the sophomore holds the lead of the tournament and is one stroke ahead of Anders Albertson of Georgia Tech.
"Daniel played a great round today," continued Jones. "His all-around game was sharp today. He put the ball in good spots off the tee and used his short game when needed. Your top players have to play well in order to compete."
Hank Lebioda is currently tied for third in the tournament after posting a 4-under 68. The freshman started the day with three birdies in the first four holes.
Senior Chase Seiffert and freshman Rowin Caron are both tied for fifth after finishing with a 3-under 69. Seiffert finished the day with straight birdies on holes 17 and 18 while Caron started the day with four birdies in the first five holes.
"Chase played a solid round and finished with two birdies," concluded Jones. "Rowin and Hank continue to improve and will only get better with these experiences."
Senior Doug Letson is currently tied for 36th with a 3-over 75. Like everyone else on the team, he posted a birdie on the first hole.
Florida State had a strong day from senior Chase Seiffert who is now in second place.
April 27, 2013
NEW LONDON, NC - The No. 13 Florida State men's golf team shot an 8-under 280 to hold onto the lead at the 60th Annual ACC Championship on Saturday. Led today by senior Chase Seiffert, the Seminoles have a two-day total of a 25-under 551, four strokes ahead of No. 10 Duke and five ahead of No. 9 Georgia Tech.
"I thought we played pretty well with the exception of the par fives," said head coach Trey Jones. "The par fives are set up to score, the hole locations are less difficult and we played them over par, with the exception of Chase. He played extremely well and picked us up today."
In second place of the individual standings is Seiffert. The Panama City, Fla., native shot a 6-under 66 and did not bogey a hole today. He made six birdies today including a stretch from holes four to seven. With a two-round total of 135, he is two strokes behind Anders Albertson of Georgia Tech.
Sophomore Daniel Berger moved down to a tie for fifth place after making an even par 72 on Saturday. He now has a 137 two-day total and is only four strokes away from the lead.
After starting the morning with straight bogeys, freshman Hank Lebioda bounced back to finish the day with a 1-under 71. Lebioda posted three birdies in four holes on 9, 10 and 12 to help him bounce back. He is tied for ninth with a 5-under 139 two-day total.
Freshman Rowin Caron is tied for 19th after posting a 2-over 74. He was 1-under heading onto the last hole but struggled on 18 to offset his birdies on holes 12, 14 and 15. He has a two-day 1-under 143 total.
Posting a four stroke improvement from yesterday is senior Doug Letson who turned in a 1-under 71 for a two-day 146 score. After starting the day with straight birdies on holes one and two, he finished the day just as strong with a birdie on hole 18.
The team posted a 3-over 291 on the rain filled final day of competition.
April 28, 2013
NEW LONDON, NC - With the rain falling and the wind swirling around, the No. 13 Florida State men's golf team was just two holes away from the ACC Championship title. Unfortunately the wet conditions at the Old North State Club were just too tough as the Seminoles went 7-over on the last two holes to lose first place.
The Seminoles ended the tournament with a three-day total of 22-under 842 to finish three strokes behind Duke. Florida State tied with Virginia Tech after the Seminoles posted a 3-over 291 on Sunday. This marks the ninth finish of the year in the top five for FSU.
"Duke played really well," said head coach Trey Jones. "The conditions on the final three holes were brutal and we didn't do what was needed to win. I am proud of the way the guys competed. This one hurts but it will be a distant memory in two weeks."
Senior Chase Seiffert finished the tournament tied for second place with a tournament total of 10-under 206. Seiffert played well in the rain on Sunday posting three birdies but fell just short with a bogey on hole 17 to finish the day with a 1-under 71.
Daniel Berger started the day with a huge eagle on one and continued to play just as well with a 4-under but faltered on the last two holes to finish the day with a 2-under 70. The sophomore finished the tournament with a 9-under 207 to finish fourth.
Freshman Hank Lebioda played up and down the course all day with four birdies and six bogeys. He finished with a 2-over 74 on the day after a wet golf club slipped out of his hands on hole 18. He finished tied for tenth with a 3-under 213.
Playing similar to Lebioda was his fellow freshman teammate Rowin Caron who had two bogeys on the front nine and then finished the back nine 2-over after a double bogey on 17. He finished tied for 29th after a tournament total of 3-over 219.
Senior Doug Letson closed out the Seminoles today finishing in 41st place. He was even on the day but posted a quintuple bogey on 18 to finish the day with a 5-over 77.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Chase Seiffert 2t 69 66 71 206 Daniel Berger 4 65 72 70 207 Hank Lebioda 10t 68 71 74 213 Rowin Caron 29t 69 74 76 219 Doug Letson 41 75 71 77 223
Advancing To Atlanta.
Florida State finishes with a 28-under 836 to finish the tournament in third place.
TALLAHASSEE, FL - For the third time in four years, the Seminoles are advancing to the NCAA Men's Golf Championships after shooting a 5-under 283 on Saturday to finish third. Senior Chase Seiffert led the No. 12 Seminoles to finish the tournament tied for second with a 12-under 204.
"There's no greater experience for a college golfer than playing in the National Championship," said head coach Trey Jones. "Everyone who has played here knows how much fun it is. Golden Eagle Country Club and the City of Tallahassee really put their arms around this team. They ran a first-class event. Nothing could've been better. The support here is great."
For the past three days, each Seminole contributed to the team score and the final round was no different. Seiffert and freshman Rowin Caron both carded 2-under 70s to help the team stay in third place at the par 72 Golden Eagle Country Club.
"We needed five guys to play well and to keep themselves in it," said Jones. "They did exactly that. At no point in time did we have anybody worse than 1-over par. Going into today, we had everyone under par. It was a consistent, very good effort by our team."
The team flirted with first place in the middle of the round but finished three strokes behind second place and sixth-ranked Washington and six behind first place No. 19 North Florida.
Seiffert's strong play was consistent as he posted all birdies on holes nine and 15 though the 54-hole tournament. He finished in front of the home crowd with a birdie on 18 as the Seminole faithful cheered on the team.
"To come out here on our home course and play in front of this great crowd and get the job done was a great experience," said Seiffert. "We just played within ourselves and took one shot at a time. I feel like we have something to prove when we get back there-to make that top-eight and see how deep we can go in match play."
Although Caron had one double bogey, his seven birdies, including five on the back nine, put the team in great position to lock the advancement to the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club in Atlanta.
"I just wanted to finish strong," said Caron. "I knew I could do it. I was hitting the ball well, I just had to get the putts rolling. I hit a really good shot on 17, and I had two really good shots on 18. If we get it together and try to become better every day, I think we will have a good chance at the National Championship."
Freshman Hank Lebioda finished with a 71 today and ended the tournament tied for 19th with a 4-under 212. Lebioda made five birdies on the day.
"At the beginning of the year, you set a goal to be one of the final eight teams in the National Championship," said Lebioda. "Even though we didn't play our best here, being in the top five and getting third place is huge for us."
Sophomore Daniel Berger turned in a 73 today but finished 4-under to tie with his teammate Lebioda. Berger posted a quadruple bogey on hole 15 but was able to bounce back with a birdie on holes 16 and 18.
Senior Doug Letson finished the tournament with a 2-under 214 after shooting an even 72 on Saturday. Letson was consistent with 16 pars on the day.
Joining Florida State in Atlanta is No. 18 UNF, No. 6 Washington, No. 9 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Oklahoma. Daniel Walker of Richmond is the individual advancing to the final site.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Chase Seiffert 2t 66 68 70 204 Hank Lebioda 19t 71 70 71 212 Daniel Berger 19t 70 69 73 212 Rowin Caron 25t 74 69 70 213 Doug Letson 27t 70 72 72 214
Berger Leads Seminoles After First Round.
Berger and Seiffert were named to the PING All-Region team today.
May 28, 2013
ALPHARETTA, GA - After the first round of the NCAA Championships, the No. 15 Florida State men's golf team is tied for 19th at the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club. Sophomore Daniel Berger leads the team with a 1-under 69 while the team finished with a 7-over 287.
"I am proud of the way we competed today," said head coach Trey Jones. "Nothing came easy for us but we competed to the end. Golf is a hard game and when you lose confidence or doubt yourself, it becomes increasingly difficult. Our young guys have played well all year and will come out ready to compete tomorrow."
The Seminoles teed off at 2:00 p.m. from the 10th hole and will tee off at 8:40 a.m. from the first tee on Wednesday. The team is eight strokes behind Thursday's cutoff of 8th place. Arizona State leads the tournament with a 10-under 270 in the 30 team field.
Right after the Seminoles teed off, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) released the Division I PING All-Region honorees with Chase Seiffert and Berger being named in the Southeast Region.
Berger started the day with three birdies through six holes and ended up finishing the back nine 2-under. After bogeys on the first and third hole, he finished the day tied for 20th and is only four strokes back from second place.
Seiffert is tied for 33rd after shooting an even par 70. The senior was 2-over on the back nine but finished with two birdies on the first and fourth hole to finish on par. Senior Doug Letson finished the day with a 1-over 71 to tie for 49th. Letson made back-to-back birdies on holes 14 and 15.
Hank Lebioda bogeyed six straight holes after a birdie on the 12th hole to finish the back nine 6-over. The freshman bounced back after the turn with a birdie on the second hole to finish the day with a 7-over 77. Freshman Rowin Caron finished the day with a 12-over 82 after a quadruple bogey on the 13th hole.
Florida State makes a 10 stroke improvement from the first round.
May 29, 2013
ALPHARETTA, GA - The Florida State men's golf team knew they needed to bounce back from their first round and did just that for the second round of the NCAA Championships on Wednesday. The No. 15 Seminoles made a 10 stroke improvement and posted a 3-under 277 at the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.
"We did what we wanted to do today," said head coach Trey Jones. "We put ourselves in a situation where we control our own destiny. I'm proud of Daniel (Berger) for coming out getting a good going for us. All five guys were in it which is more like usual. If we go out and play tomorrow like we are capable, we will reach one of our goals for the year."
Daniel Berger once again led the Seminoles by turning in a 3-under 67. The sophomore started the day with a bogey but bounced back with four straight birdies beginning at the third hole. He is currently tied for ninth with two day total of a 4-under 136.
Senior Chase Seiffert was 1-over on the front nine with three bogeys and two birdies, but came back on the tough back nine with two birdies to finish the round with a 1-under 69. His two day total of a 139 (-1) puts him tied for 30th.
Doug Letson once again played strong and posted a 1-over 71 on the day. The senior was 1-under on the day until he bogeyed on the hard 16 and 18 holes.
The best improvements on the day were the freshmen Rowin Caron and Hank Lebioda. After shooting 12-over yesterday, Caron battled back with an even par 70. After making a quadruple bogey on hole 13 yesterday, he came back with a birdie on the par three.
Lebioda also made a comeback by improving his game by five strokes. Yesterday he bogeyed holes 13 through 18 but today he made par on every one of those holes. He finished the front nine 2-over after a double bogey on four but rebounded to hold steady after the turn.
The Seminoles are currently tied for 13th and only four strokes behind the cut.
Florida State finishes tied for 11th barely missing cutoff.
May 30, 2013
ALPHARETTA, GA - The Florida State men's golf team came one stroke away from a playoff for match play, but was unable to capitalize on their great play and finished tied for 11th. Sophomore Daniel Berger finished tied for second in the individual standings at the NCAA Championships held at the Crabapple Course at the Capital City Club.
"They knew they were never going to be too safely in it and never going to be out of it and they showed that today," said head coach Trey Jones. "The spirit that they have and how proud Florida State University should be in this golf team is just off the chart."
The Seminoles started the day on the tough back nine and ended up only 1-over par. Once they made the turn, Florida State turned on their engines and started making birdies beginning with freshman Rowin Caron on the fifth hole. At that point, Berger made back-to-back birdies on five and six.
"That's what you look for in golf," said Berger. "That's why I play golf, is that feeling of being there and having the opportunity to make it to match play and to win."
Senior Doug Letson made back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth hole to put the Seminoles one stroke away from the playoff for the top eight teams. The Seminoles did not give up but went on to miss putts by mere inches and finished with three bogeys.
"There is no quit in these guys until the last shot and they executed well coming down the stretch," continued Jones. "It just wasn't meant to be. We had our chances and put ourselves in that situation and we're all the better for it."
Berger's 2-under 68 Thursday put his 54 hole total to a 6-under 204 letting him finish in a six-way tie for second place, three strokes behind the medalist Max Homa of Cal. Berger made three birdies on the day and did not make a bogey until his last hole. This marks the best finish by a Seminole since Nolan Henke in 1997 when he finished for second place.
"I played really solid all day," continued Berger. "I didn't make a bogey until the last hole where I was trying to hit a shot in there to make it so we could get through. There are a lot of positives to take out of this week even though we didn't make it."
"That's why he's an All-American," concluded Jones. "Truthfully he was struggling earlier in the week and just came out and gave us his all today. He's a great player and he keeps getting better and better."
Seniors Chase Seiffert and Letson finished their careers with an excellent tournament finishing only one stroke apart. Seiffert finished the day making all pars and two bogeys for a three round total of a 1-over 211. Letson played even par today making all pars on the back nine and then posting two birdies and two bogeys to finish with a 2-over 212.
Freshmen Hank Lebioda and Caron both finished the tournament with a 13-over 223. After posting 12-over on the first round, Caron played extremely well and had a 1-over 71 to finish the tournament on Thursday. Caron played well all day until a double bogey on 16 hindered his play. Lebioda posted a 4-over 74 in the final day but played a great front nine with only one bogey.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Daniel Berger 2t 69 67 68 204 Chase Seiffert 38t 70 69 72 211 Doug Letson 49t 71 71 70 212 Rowin Caron 144t 82 70 71 223 Hank Lebioda 144t 77 72 74 223