2015 Men's Golf - Year In Review
Trey Jones, Head Coach
Robert Duck, Assistant Coach, Player Development
Jennifer Santiago, Director of Operations
Matt Savage, Assistant Coach
Click here to see individual mug shots
2015 Men's Golf - Year In Review | |
| Coaching Staff Trey Jones, Head Coach Robert Duck, Assistant Coach, Player Development Jennifer Santiago, Director of Operations Matt Savage, Assistant Coach Click here to see individual mug shots |
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2015 Roster - By Name
L
T PY
R Name Hgt Cl Ltr Hometown (Prior School)
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* Anthony Alex 6-0 So * Ponte Vedra Beach (Saint Johns Virtual School)
* Rowin Caron 6-0 Jr ** Terheijden, Netherlands (RSG't Rijks)
* Cristobal Del Solar 6-1 So-R * Vina del Mar, Chile (IMG Academy)
Harry Ellis 5-11 So * Southampton, England (Wildern School)
Collin Engelhardt 5-8 Jr * Orlando (Trinity Prep)
* Hank Lebioda 5-11 Jr ** Winter Springs (Trinity Prep)
* Josh Lee 5-10 So * Orange Park (Fleming Island)
* Jack Maguire 6-0 So * Saint Petersburg (Saint Petersburg)
Carter Thompson Fr Tallahassee (Leon)
2015 Conference Awards
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Rowin Caron Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
Trey Jones Atlantic Coast Conference - Coach of the Year
Hank Lebioda Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
Jack Maguire Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
All-Conference - 4
2015 All-Americans
Name Organization
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Rowin Caron Golf Week - 3rd Team All-American
Golf Coaches Association of America - All-American - Honorable Mention
Hank Lebioda Golf Coaches Association of America - 2nd Team All-American
Golf Week - 2nd Team All-American
Jack Maguire Golf Week - 1st Team All-American
Golf Coaches Association of America - 2nd Team All-American
All-Americans - 3
2015 Schedule and Results
GAME |
SCORE |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia Fields Invitational September 12-14, 2014, Olympia Fields, Ill. |
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| Jerry Pate Intercollegiate October 6-7, 2014, Vestavia Hills, Ala. |
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| Tavistock Collegiate October 19-21, 2014, Orlando, Fla. |
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| Old Corkscrew Intercollegiate October 27-28, 2014, Estero, Fla. |
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| Sea Best Invitational February 2-3, 2015, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. |
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| Gator Invitational February 14-15, 2015, Gainesville, Fla. |
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| Querencia Cabo Collegiate March 1-3, 2015, Los Cabos, Mexico |
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| Seminole Intercollegiate March 13-15, 2015 |
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| Valspar Invitational March 23-24, 2015, Palm City, Fla. |
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| Gary Koch Intercollegiate April 6-7, 2015, Gastonia, N.C. |
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| ACC Championship April 24-26, 2015, New London, N.C. |
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| Chapel Hill Regional May 14-16, 2015, Chapel Hill, N.C. |
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| NCAA Championship May 29-June 3, 2015, Bradenton, Fla. |
EOY StatsRef Overall Home Away Neutral ------------------------------------------------ FSU record is 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0
2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Results 1 Georgia Tech 845 2 Clemson 845 3 Florida State 846 4 Virginia 853 5 North Carolina 854 6 Virginia Tech 856 7 Louisville 866 8 Wake Forest 869 9 North Carolina State 884 10 Duke 886 11 Notre Dame 911 12 Boston College 913
2015 EOY Stats
Name Tournaments Rounds Par Low Strokes Wins Top10 Ave ======================================================================== Jack Maguire 12 37 22 64 2,620 0 8 70.81 Hank Lebioda 13 40 24 66 2,843 0 8 71.08 Rowin Caron 13 40 21 67 2,862 1 6 71.55 Josh Lee 13 40 18 67 2,910 0 3 72.75 Cristobal Del Solar 7 22 8 66 1,610 0 2 73.18 Anthony Alex 9 27 10 66 1,987 0 1 73.59
Seminoles In Second After First Round.
Florida State is two strokes behind first with two players tied for sixth place.
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL – The No. 17 Florida State men’s golf team is in second place at the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational. The team turned in a 13-over 293 and is two strokes between first place Virginia Tech. Florida State tees off Saturday morning at 9:45 from the first hole.
“It would be hard to imagine a better challenge than what we saw today with temperatures in the low 50s, rain and playing on a U.S. Open course,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We need to go out tomorrow and enjoy this great opportunity.”
Sophomores Jack Maguire and Josh Lee are both tied for sixth place with a 2-over 72. Maguire started the day with three birdies on the front nine but had a double bogey on the ninth hole. Lee started the day with a birdie on the first hole and made two more to secure his place in the top ten.
“Josh drives the ball well and that is a must on a course where six of the 12 par 4’s are near 470 yards,” continued Jones. “Jack made some birdies early on that very few people were making. He made a few mistakes but regrouped coming in.”
Junior Rowin Caron shot a 3-over on the front nine with four bogeys but regrouped on the back to finish the day with a 3-over 73 as he sits tied for 14th.
“Rowin is a very good bad weather player,” said Jones. “He is struggling with his swing but today he did a good job mentally and showed me that he is maturing.”
Redshirt sophomore Cristobal Del Solar is tied for 33rd with a 6-over 76 while junior Hank Lebioda is tied for 52nd with an 8-over 78.
“Cristobal struggled off the tee but played the par threes at
2-under,” said Jones. “He is a great competitor and I look for him to play a more solid round tomorrow. This course does not let up and has no easy birdies. It was a difficult task for Hank to rebound
after sitting at 6-over after four holes but I am proud of his effort.”
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL – Junior Rowin Caron of the No. 17 Florida State men’s golf team led the Seminoles at the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational on Saturday. The Seminoles are in third place with a 29-over 589 after two rounds.
“When you have a long golf course with tight fairways and small fast greens you have to be good at all facets of your game,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We gave the course some shots today that were not dictated by the course difficulty. You can’t let this place wear you down from start to finish and that is our challenge tomorrow.”
Caron finished the round with birdies on the 17th and 18th hole to finish the day with a 1-over 71. His two-day total of 144 puts him tied for seventh place.
Sophomore Jack Maguire is tied for 18th after turning in a 5-over 75 while sophomore Josh Lee dropped to a tie for 26th after a pair of double bogeys on the back nine finished him at 6-over 76.
Junior Hank Lebioda posted a four stroke improvement with a 4-over 74 to place him in a tie for
44th while redshirt sophomore Cristobal Del Solar is tied for 49th after carding a 77.
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL – The No. 17 Florida State men’s golf team started the season strong with a second place showing at the Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational on Sunday. The day was highlighted by two players finishing in the top 10 and a hole-in-one.
“I regard this as one of college golf’s major tournaments of the year,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We went out and put ourselves in a position to win the golf tournament with nine holes to play. Hats off to Illinois for playing a great final nine on a really hard golf course.”
Florida State had its best round of the weekend with a 3-over 283 to finish the tournament with a 32-over 872. The Seminoles finished 11 strokes behind host school Illinois. The 15-team field featured 10 teams in the top 25 Golf Coaches Association of American Preseason rankings.
“I am encouraged that we shot the third best score of the tournament at a time we needed it most,” continued Jones. “Being able to play tough golf courses is a great characteristic for any player or team. I am proud of the guys for getting better as the week went on and this could be a very good team if we keep improving.”
Junior Rowin Caron finished tied for fourth for his best finish since his freshman season, a tie for first at the Gary Koch Invitational. Caron finished the day with a 71 for a 5-over 215 three round total, only two strokes behind co-medalists Maverick McNealy of Stanford and Dylan Meyer of Illinois.
“Rowin really played some good golf this week,” continued Jones. “He had something to prove to himself and he executed very well.”
“I’m proud of the team this week as we all fought hard,” said Caron. “Josh (Lee) played really well today. I didn’t have my best ball striking but managed to shoot a good score with a good short game and putting on a very tough course.”
Sophomore Josh Lee jumped up 20 spots in the individual standings with a 2-under 68 to finish tied for sixth place. His three round total of 6-over 216 gave him his first top 10 finish of his collegiate career. He also made the second-most birdies of the tournament with 10, including five in the third round.
“Josh’s 68 should give him a great deal of confidence,” continued Jones. “He is a lot better than he was this time last year.”
Sophomore Jack Maguire finished in a tie for 15th with a three-day total of 9-over 219. He turned in a 2-over 72 to finish out the day to move up three spots.
Junior Hank Lebioda posted his first collegiate hole-in-one on the eighth hole and followed that up with a birdie on the ninth hole. Those two holes were good enough for him to jump 14 spots in the individual standings to finish tied for 30th. The last ace by a Seminole was Maguire last season on October 13 at the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate.
“Hank’s shot was the best shot I have even seen,” concluded Jones. “The pin was tucked front right and he made a hybrid from 247 yards. The ball went in like a putt.”
Redshirt sophomore Cristobal Del Solar finished the tournament tied for 62nd with a 234.
OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational Olympia Fields CC (Par 70, 7,290 yards) Team Standings 1. Illinois 861 (+21) 9. Alabama 897 (+57) 2. Florida State 872 (+32) 10. Oklahoma 898 (+58) 3. Baylor 876 (+36) 11. Texas A&M 900 (+60) 4. Stanford 882 (+42) 12. Michigan 903 (+63) 5. Oklahoma State 885 (+45) 13. Arkansas 905 (+65) 6. Texas 892 (+52) 14. Connecticut 909 (+69) 7. Colorado 893 (+53) 15. Indiana 922 (+82) 8. Virginia Tech 895 (+55)
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Rowin Caron 4t 73 71 71 215 Josh Lee 6t 72 76 68 216 Jack Maguire 15t 72 75 72 219 Hank Lebioda 30t 78 74 72 224 Cristobal Del Solar 62t 76 77 81 234
Seminoles Tied For Second At Jerry Pate.
October 6, 2014
VESTAVIA HILLS, AL – The No. 2 Florida State men’s golf team is tied for second after playing two rounds on Monday at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. Junior Hank Lebioda is tied for first with two others at 6-under par. The Seminoles tee off the third round at 8:50 a.m. CT on Tuesday from the first hole.
In the first round at the Old Overton Country Club, the Seminoles struggled with a 10-over 290. Florida State bounced back in the second round with a 7-under 273 with a total of 24 birdies. The defending national championships and host school Alabama has a 10 stroke lead with a 7-under while No. 5 Georgia Tech is tied with Florida State.
“This team showed me a lot today,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We did not execute well on our back nine this morning. Starting on the back in the afternoon we did a great job of putting the previous nine behind us and got off to a great start. I like our progression over the last three weeks and look for us to continue to improve.”
Lebioda turned in a 6-under 134 today and is tied with Ollie Schniederjans of Georgia Tech and Ben Wood of Mississippi State in the top spot. Lebioda posted an outstanding 8-under on par four holes today. His best round of the day came in the afternoon with a 66.
“Hank had a great week of preparation and carried it on to today,” continued Jones. “He is leading the tournament and playing with the top two amateurs and collegiate players in the country tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing how comfortable he is in this environment.”
Sophomore Anthony Alex had a 1-under 69 in the second round to propel him 10 spots into a tie for 10th place. With a 1-over 141 for the tournament, his 69 marks his lowest round in college.
“Anthony played better today than his final score indicated,” finished Jones. “He made two mistakes that cost him four shots. He is not far off from shooting a low number.”
Junior Rowin Caron and sophomore Josh Lee are both tied for 23rd with a 4-over 144. Lee posted a 77 in the first round to bounce back with a 67 in the afternoon and moved up 22 spots while Caron posted a 73 and 71 on the day.
Sophomore Jack Maguire is tied for 43rd with a 9-over 149. He posted a 71 in the second round for an eight shot improvement compared to
the first.
October 7, 2014
VESTAVIA HILLS, AL – The No. 2 Florida State men’s golf team held on in the third round to finish in second place at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. With back-to-back second place finishes this fall, the Seminoles are off to their best start since the early 1980s.
“I’m proud of the guy’s effort,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We came out and played well early. We never quit and it felt like each guy did a good job of competing all week. We were 20 shots back behind Alabama after the first round which was something a little too hard to overcome.”
Leading the Seminoles all tournament was junior Hank Lebioda who finished the tournament with an 8-under 202 to finish tied for second with Georgia Tech’s Ollie Schniederjans. Ben Wood of Mississippi State won the individual title with a 198. Lebioda finished the tournament with a 2-under 68 for his best finish since tying for first at the 2014 Gator Invitational.
“I’m very proud of how the team and I played this week,” said Lebioda. “Although not all of us had our best stuff, we fought the entire tournament and made the most of what we had. This is a huge step for our team and I’m excited to get back in action at Lake Nona.”
“Hank had a great tournament,” continued Jones. “He played well enough to win but Ben just shot a 63 and a 64 the last two rounds. You can’t play defense so it’s out of your control.”
Florida State got off to a quick start with a 5-under thru the first three holes. The strong start helped the Seminoles who finished the round with an even par 280 at the Old Overton Country Club. The Seminoles finished the tournament with a 3-over 843, 13 strokes behind first place Alabama. UNLV finished six strokes behind Florida State in third.
Sophomore Anthony Alex had his best finish of his collegiate career as he tied for 15th with a 3-over 213. He finished the tournament with a 72 on Tuesday which was highlighted with an eagle on the 15th hole.
Junior Rowin Caron carded an even par 70 and six birdies to finish the tournament with a 4-over 214, good for 20th.
Sophomores Jack Maguire and Josh Lee finished the tournament tied for 30th with a pair of 9-over 219s. Maguire turned in his best round of the two-day event thanks to three straight birdies on the front nine for an even par 70. Lee shot a 75 in the final round.
“We’re improving and looking forward to going to Orlando in two weeks,” concluded Jones. “I can’t wait to see if we can continue to progress and get a win.”
Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate Old Overton CC (Par 70, 7,209 yards) Team Standings (54 holes) 1. Alabama 830 (-10) 7. Mississippi State 863 (+23) 2. Florida State 843 (+3) 8. Charlotte 866 (+26) 3. UNLV 849 (+9) 9. Texas A&M 868 (+28) 4. UAB 852 (+12) T10. UTSA 873 (+33) 5. Arkansas 853 (+13) T10. Mississippi 873 (+33) 6. Georgia Tech 856 (+16) T10. Georgia State 873 (+33)
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Hank Lebioda 2t 68 66 68 202 Anthony Alex 15t 72 69 72 213 Rowin Caron 20 73 71 70 214 Jack Maguire 30t 78 71 70 219 Josh Lee 30t 77 67 75 219
Seminoles In Second At Tavistock Collegiate Invitational.
October 19, 2014
ORLANDO, FL - The No. 2 Florida State men's golf team had its best round of the season with an 18-under 270 on Sunday, only three strokes behind first place Texas Tech at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational. The Seminoles have all five players in the top 20 individual standings and is the only team to do so at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.
"We had a very good week of preparation and it showed today," said head coach Trey Jones. "The guys are comfortable with their games and in good places mentally. I am looking forward to seeing how we follow up a great round tomorrow."
Sophomore Anthony Alex is leading the Seminoles after making six birdies on the day. His 6-under 66 puts him in a tie for third place.
Junior Hank Lebioda and sophomores Jack Maguire and Josh Lee are all tied for eighth after turning in 4-under 68s. Lee posted a bogey on the sixth hole but followed that up with five birdies the rest of the way. Lebioda had four birdies on the day with three of them coming on the back nine. Maguire started the day out with a 4-under on the front nine.
Junior Rowin Caron is tied for 16th with a 3-under 69. He had four birdies on the day but a bogey on the seventh hole.
Guillermo Pereira of Texas Tech is currently in first place
with a 9-under 63.
October 20, 2014
ORLANDO, FL - This season a new round of golf for Florida State means a new player emerges as the team leader. Monday's second round of the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational was no different as junior Rowin Caron helped keep the No. 2 Seminoles in second place, only two strokes behind first place Vanderbilt.
Caron's 4-under 68 on Monday went towards the team's 6-under 282. Florida State now has a two-day total of 552 at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.
"We have played two good rounds and have put ourselves in a position to win tomorrow," said head coach Trey Jones. "We got off to a slow start today but did a good job of staying positive."
Caron's first round score of a 69 did not go towards the team score yesterday because his teammates shot lower rounds. He improved on his first round score and jumped up 11 spots into a tie for fifth place with a two round total of 137 (-7). Carson Jacobs of Vanderbilt is leading the tournament with an 11-under 133.
Sophomore Jack Maguire started his round off with a birdie and never looked back as he finished the day with a 2-under 70. He is currently in a tie for seventh place with a 138 (-6). Also tied for seventh is his brother MJ Maguire of UNF.
After a pair of 68s yesterday, junior Hank Lebioda and sophomore Josh Lee once again turned in identical scores with both turning in a 72. The duo is currently tied for 14th with a pair of 140s (-4).
After leading the team yesterday, sophomore Anthony Alex injured his hand Sunday night but decided to play on Monday. He shot an 81 and is currently tied for 50th.
"I am proud of all the guys but I am especially appreciative of Anthony for his effort today," continued Jones. "His toughness is going to be a great asset to this team.
A lot of guys would not have played today and definitely not finished."
October 21, 2014
ORLANDO, FL - The No. 2 Florida State men's golf team made four birdies in the last two holes to overtake No. 12 Vanderbilt and win the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.
"This was arguably the best finish to a golf tournament I've ever watched," said head coach Trey Jones. "We came out to win today, not to lose."
The Seminoles had a 13-under 275 in the third round to finish with a 54-hole total of 827 (-37) and win their first tournament of the fall after back-to-back second place finishes. Vanderbilt finished two strokes behind with an 829 and No. 7 Texas Tech finished third with an 838.
"The guys have grown up a lot," continued Jones. "This year we lost to Illinois and Alabama at their home courses but have been playing good enough to win. Vanderbilt played good enough to win but we played a little bit better."
Thanks to five straight birdies between the eighth and 12th holes, sophomore Jack Maguire finished the tournament tied for third. Maguire helped the Seminoles pass Vanderbilt as he closed out the day with a pair of birdies on the 17th and 18th hole to finish the day at 4-under.
"Jack got off to a slow start and then turned around to make five birdies in a row," continued Jones. "He made a bogey on 16 that he normally wouldn't make but finished with birdies on 17 and 18, which is something that doesn't happen at Lake Nona very often. He has gotten better this year and will continue to get better."
Junior Rowin Caron also finished tied for third as he carded a 3-under 69 on Tuesday. He had three birdies on the last five holes including one on the 17th. Caron and Maguire ended the tournament with a 10-under 206.
"I'm really proud of the guys and how we played on the back nine under pressure," said Caron. "I didn't have my best game today but hung in there and managed to make some birdies coming in so I'm happy with the result. Now we are on to the next one."
"What I'm most pleased about Rowin is he is learning to compete and not play in the past," continued Jones. "He had a good round going early and then struggled in the middle. He then found a way to turn it back around with a bunch of birdies on the back nine."
With a 5-under 67, junior Hank Lebioda became the third Seminole to lead a round at the Tavistock Collegiate. He made six birdies on the day with only one bogey to finish the tournament tied for 7th with a 207. In his last six rounds, Lebioda has shot five scores in the 60s.
Sophomore Josh Lee completed the tournament tied for 13th with a three day total of 211 (-5). He turned in a 1-under 71 on Tuesday with four birdies.
Returning to form was sophomore Anthony Alex as he shot an even par 72, a nine stroke improvement from the second round. While continuing to play injured, Alex finished the tournament tied for 46th with a 3-over 219.
2014 Tavistock Collegiate Invitational Lake Nona Golf & Country Club (Par 72, 7,200 yards) Team Standings (54 holes) 1. Florida State 827 (-37) T8. New Mexico 857 (-7) 2. Vanderbilt 829 (-35) 10. GRU Augusta 859 (-5) 3. Texas Tech 838 (-26) 11. Florida 862 (-2) 4. Illinois 841 (-23) 12. UCF 864 (E) 5. North Florida 849 (-15) 13. Arkansas 871 (+7) 6. California 853 (-11) 14. Georgia 877 (+13) 7. Baylor 856 (-8) 15. Indiana 882 (+18) T8. UNLV 857 (-7)
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 3t 68 70 68 206 Rowin Caron 3t 69 68 69 206 Hank Lebioda 7t 68 72 67 207 Josh Lee 13t 68 72 71 211 Anthony Alex 46t 66 81 72 219
Seminoles Lead FGCU Classic After 36 Holes.
October 27, 2014
ESTERO, FL – After playing 36 holes on Monday, the No. 1 Florida State men’s golf team leads the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic at the Old Corkscrew Golf Club. The Seminoles conclude the tournament Tuesday as they tee off at 8:30 a.m.
With a 2-over 578 on the first day, Florida State has an eight stroke lead over second place Florida and a 15 stroke lead over third place Loyola (Md.). All five Seminoles are in the top 20 of the individual standings.
"This is a very difficult golf course," said head coach Trey Jones. "You have to drive the ball well to have any chance of playing well. A ball off the fairway is likely lost or unplayable. The green designs are equally demanding. You have to pay attention to the slopes and execute a solid iron shot."
Aiming for his second top ten finish of the year is sophomore Josh Lee who is tied for first place after carding a two-under 142. He is tied with AJ Crouch of Florida and Jeremy Wall of Loyola (Md.).
"Josh played beautifully today from tee to green," continued Jones. "He is as good a driver of the ball as there is in college golf and that is mandatory out here. I am proud he has the lead and look forward to seeing how he handles that tomorrow."
With an even par 144, sophomore Jack Maguire is in fifth place while junior Hank Lebioda is tied for seventh after turning in a 2-over 146.
Lee and Lebioda are currently leading the tournament with 11 birdies a piece while Maguire leads the field in par five scoring at 6-under.
Tied for 15th is junior Rowin Caron as he finished the day with a 4-over 148. Sophomore Anthony Alex is tied for 17th with a 5-over 149.
"As a
team we made too many big numbers and didn't execute on the par fives at times," concluded Jones. "We are looking forward to finishing this fall season with a solid team round tomorrow."
October 28, 2014
ESTERO, FL – The No. 1 Florida State men’s golf team finished out the fall season with a victory at the Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic at the Old Corkscrew Golf Club. The Seminoles had four players finish in the top 10.
With a 1-over 289 in the third round, the team finished the tournament with a 3-over 867. This is Florida State’s second win of the fall. The Seminoles won by 13 strokes over second place Florida and 28 strokes over third place St. Mary’s (Calif.).
“This win caps off a great week,” said head coach Trey Jones. “The guys were tired coming off a big win in Orlando but accepted and embraced the challenges. The character displayed by this team continues to impress. Traveling here allowed for the opportunity to better prepare our team for the National Championship which will be held at The Concession in Bradenton.”
With his third top 10 finish of the month, junior Hank Lebioda finished tied for second with an even par 216. Lebioda posted the best round of the day for the Seminoles with a 2-under 70 and led the field with 16 birdies.
“This tournament really tested what we all had left in us,” said Lebioda. “We could have easily gone out quietly but we hung tough, fought through and won this golf tournament. I’m really proud of the team and am excited about where we are heading this year.”
Sophomore Josh Lee had his best finish of his collegiate career as he also tied for second place with a 216. He finished tied for sixth at the beginning of the fall at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational. He and Lebioda finished two strokes back from first.
After finishing tied for third last week at the Tavistock Collegiate Invitational, sophomore Jack Maguire finished tied for sixth with a 2-over 218 after turning in a 74 on Tuesday.
Junior Rowin Caron had his third top 10 finish of the fall as he finished eighth with a 3-over 219. Sophomore Anthony Alex finished the tournament tied for 21st with a 227.
“Our goal starting the fall each year is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each player,” concluded Jones. “We then work on a development plan that will help them improve before we begin again in February. Finishing the fall with a 50-2 record should show these guys that they have an opportunity to be a really good golf team in May.”
Homewood/Hilton Garden Airport & FGCU Classic Old Corkscrew Golf Club (Par 72, 7,393 yards) Team Standings (54 holes) 1. Florida State 867 ( +3) 8. Miami (OH) 910 (+46) 2. Florida 880 (+16) 9. Ball State 920 (+56) 3. St. Mary’s (CA) 895 (+31) 10. Bethune-Cookman 927 (+63) 4. Loyola (MD) 898 (+34) 11. Arkansas State 931 (+67) 5. Florida Gulf Coast 903 (+39) 12. Ohio 940 (+76) T6. St. John’s 906 (+42) 13. Murray State 957 (+93) T6. Stetson 906 (+42) 14. Florida Atlantic 963 (+99)
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Hank Lebioda 2t 73 73 70 216 Josh Lee 2t 72 70 74 216 Jack Maguire 6t 71 73 74 218 Rowin Caron 8 74 74 71 219 Anthony Alex 21t 77 72 78 227
Men’s golf is three off the lead at the Sea Best Invitational.
PONTE VEDRA, FL – Facing a field featuring four other teams ranked in the top 31 is tough enough but battling rain and 25 MPH winds on top of that makes for a difficult day. Despite the conditions, the second-ranked Seminoles men’s golf team opened their 2015 spring season at the Sea best Invitational on Monday and finished the first two rounds in second place and only three off the leader.
Florida State was led by junior Rowin Caron (+4) and 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year Jack Maguire (+4). On a day where only one golfer in the entire field shot under par through 36 holes, the Seminole duo both carded a 144, tied with two other players for sixth on the individual leader board.
"We had rain, high winds and cold weather for the first round and winds around 25 mph in the second round,” said FSU Head Coach Trey Jones. “These guys know you don't let the elements dictate your competitiveness and professionalism.
“They all came here to win golf tournaments and we have an opportunity tomorrow. They know what it takes and will be ready for another challenging day tomorrow morning.”
Overall five Noles finished among the top 35 after the first day of play. Fifteenth-ranked UNC (+24) is sitting atop the team leaderboard heading into the final day of play.
Florida (+28) is one stroke behind the Seminoles who posted a +27.
PONTE VEDRA, FL – The second-ranked Seminole men’s golf team finished play at the Sea Best Invitational led by All-American Jack Maguire. The sophomore carded a +4 for the tournament and finished in third. Overall, FSU ended the two-day tournament in fifth with a +47 on a course that saw no school card a score better than +33.
FSU entered the final day of the Sea Best Invitational at TPC three strokes off the lead but the Noles couldn’t hold off three top 30 opponents on Tuesday. Fellow ACC school UNC won the tournament at +33 and No. 28 UNF (+44) and No. 30 UNLV (+42) both finished ahead of FSU.
“We know we are nowhere near where we need to be but we have a special group that will work hard,” said head coach Trey Jones following Tuesday’s action. “As I said yesterday, these guys came here to be challenged and get better.”
Rowin Caron and Hank Lebioda both shot a +15 for the tournament and carded the second best scores for Florida State. Playing in his home town, Anthony Alex shot a +17 to card the Noles fourth-best score.
The Seminoles, and everyone else in the field, suffered through rough conditions at the famed TPC Sawgrass course. Monday saw rain and high winds. On Tuesday it was once again cold and windy in Ponte Vedra.
“When used properly these experiences can go a long way in May,” said Jones. “I would much rather find out what I saw this week than down road.”
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 3 72 72 70 214 Rowin Caron 26t 69 75 81 225 Hank Lebioda 26t 77 75 73 225 Anthony Alex 32t 74 77 76 227 Josh Lee 62t 79 73 83 235
Second-ranked Noles Head To Final Round In Third.
February 14, 2015
GAINESVILLE, FL – The second-ranked Seminole men’s golf team bounced between first and second place for most of the first two rounds at the SunTrust Gator Invitational Saturday. Unfortunately a double and triple bogey on hole 16 put FSU five off the lead and in third place heading into the final round Sunday.
“This is a golf course that is easy to make bogeys however we should not make many doubles or triples and we found a way to do that today,” said head coach Trey Jones.
Rowin Caron was the only Seminole to shoot under par in the second round carding a three under. Despite a double bogey on three, Caron recorded seven birdies during the second round, including six on the last seven holes. The junior is a shot off the individual lead for the tournament.
Jack Maguire and Hank Lebodia joined Caron finishing at even par or better on a day that saw only nine golfers in the entire field shoot a 140 or better. Florida State was the only team to place three golfers in the top nine finishers following the 36 holes.
“Proud of Rowin,” added Jones. “The way he started his day with a bogey and a double bogey and was able to come back with a strong 34 holes. We have an opportunity if we play a great round tomorrow to win another golf tournament but it's going to take a team effort for five players to do so.”
February 15, 2015
GAINESVILLE, FL – The second-ranked Seminole men’s golf team finished ahead of five other ranked teams at the SunTrust Gator Invitational Sunday but couldn’t close the gap on USF. Florida State shot two-over on the final day and finished in third place at five-over for the tournament.
Both Hank Lebioda and Rowin Caron finished the tournament at one-under and four Seminoles finished in the top eight, twice as many as any other team. For the tournament, only seven golfers carded a score better than even par while four of the five Seminole golfers finished in the top 20.
Florida State came into the final round five off the lead but couldn’t catch No. 23 USF who posted the only score under par today shooting a 277 for a three under. Four of the five Seminoles carded a score of two-over or better in the third round but FSU was unable to move out of third.
“One of our goals every week is to have a chance to win the golf tournament going into the final day on the final nine holes and we have done that now for six straight tournaments,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Consistency is a great thing. We had an opportunity but we aren’t always going to win. We can learn from that experience and I'm proud of our guys for coming out and competing every day.
“We had three guys to have a chance to win the golf tournament going on to the back nine and that's another one of our goals as well. We’re not where we need to be right now but have a great group of guys competing every day working hard and we will get there.”
Florida State led the field on par three holes and was second on par fours but the squad was fifth in the field dealing with par fives, despite an average score of one-under on the longest holes. The Seminoles also led the field in pars but finished sixth overall in birdies.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Hank Lebioda 6t 68 72 69 209 Rowin Caron 6t 71 67 71 209 Jack Maguire 8t 69 70 72 211 Josh Lee 19t 71 75 70 216 Anthony Alex 56t 72 79 76 227
No. 2 Men’s Golf In First At Querencia Cabo Collegiate.
March 1, 2015
LOS CABOS QUERENCIA, MEXICO – It took nine holes for the second-ranked Seminole men’s golf team to get adjusted to Mexico before a blistering back nine put FSU in front of a field of eight ranked teams, five of which are in the top 10. The Seminole men shot even par on the front nine and then nine-under on the back nine to vault into first place after day one in Los Cabos Querencia, Mexico.
“I am proud of the way the guys competed today,” said head coach Trey Jones. “This is a course that can get into your mind if you don't have confidence and trust your ability. While we did lose some balls in the desert, we kept our composure and did a good job of getting on our next shot.”
Hank Lebioda led the charge on the back nine. The junior from Winter Springs, Fla. shot-one over on the front nine but carded a five-under to close out the round at -4 in a tie for second individually. Teammate Rowin Caron had a steady day with a two-under on both the front and back nine to sit in second place as well amongst the field.
Lebioda birdied seven holes, five on the back nine, and overall FSU was one off the pace for the most birdies after day one with 21. Caron and Josh Lee each carded six birdies and both finished the round under par. Sophomore Jack Maguire was the only Seminole to record an Eagle on the day and he did it on the 595-yard ninth.
“Hank doubles his 9th hole then comes back in 30 on the back nine,” said Jones. “That was a sign of his development and maturity. Rowin and Josh played solid rounds and Jack got off to a slow start but battled back.”
The Seminoles are one stroke ahead of No. 15 South Florida and lead No. 3 LSU (+8), No. 5 Wake Forest (+1), No. 7 Baylor (+4), No. 9 Vanderbilt (+3), No. 10 Stanford (-2) and No. 22 Washington (-2). Individually all four FSU starters are among the top 25 heading into day two.
“The key the next two days is to keep our high counting scores competitive,” said Jones. “Getting four good scores around here is not an easy task.”
March 2, 2015
LOS CABOS QUERENCIA, MEXICO – Riding a wave of momentum from shooting a nine-under on the back nine in the first round, the second-ranked Seminoles found the course a little more difficult on Monday. FSU shot three-over and finished the day at six-under sitting in third place but only three strokes behind the tournament leader.
“We struggled early today,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We had some misses off the tee that resulted in big numbers. You need to play the easier holes well to create momentum and we didn't take advantage of them for the most part. We have a chance to win another tournament tomorrow against a great field on a great course. We are looking forward to the challenge.”
After three of FSU’s four starters carded rounds under par on day one, all five shot even par or higher on Monday. Despite the higher scores on day two, the Seminoles showed tremendous resolve throughout the round. Jack Maguire was +5 heading to the 14th but ended the day just one-over. Rowin Caron was three-over heading to 15 and ended the round at even par. Josh Lee also finished strong cutting two strokes off his total on the back nine. Following the eighth hole Hank Lebioda was four-over but shot three under the rest of the way.
“At one point Hank was +4 and he shot +2, Rowin was +3 and he shot even par and Jack was +5 and shot +1,” said Jones. “It takes some guts and game to do that.”
Sophomore Anthony Alex bounced back from a tough opening round. The Ponte Vedra, Fla. native was 10-over on the first day of the tournament but bounced back to post an even par round on Monday.
“I am really proud of Anthony for bouncing back from a nightmarish day and shooting even par,” said Jones.
The
Seminoles are three strokes behind No. 15 South Florida (-9) and two behind No. 10 Stanford (-8). Florida State still has leads over lead No. 3 LSU (+17), No. 5 Wake Forest (+6), No. 7 Baylor (+10),
No. 9 Vanderbilt (+6) and No. 22 Washington (-5). Individually Caron (T5) and Lebioda (10) are leading the way with Maguire and Lee still among the top 25 heading into the final day.
March 3, 2015
LOS CABOS QUERENCIA, MEXICO – Coming into the final round of the Querenica Cabo Collegiate FSU Head Coach Trey Jones had to wonder what he would get from his second-ranked squad. After shooting a -9 one day and then a +3 the next, the Seminoles were back in top form for the final round. FSU carded a seven-under to win the tournament finishing ahead of five top 10 teams and eight ranked teams in total by a comfortable eight strokes.
“This win was a great team effort,” said Jones. “All the players played well, dealt with adversity and contributed to the team. This is a special group that I am fortunate to coach.”
Rowin Caron and Hank Lebioda led the way all tournament for FSU and nothing changed on the final day of play. Both Caron and Lebioda posted 67’s on Tuesday and finished the tournament in the top five. Caron shot eight-under and finished in second while Lebioda shot six-under and finished in a tie for fourth.
Florida State entered the final day of play in third place but was just three strokes off the lead. Thanks to the second-best round of the day, FSU overtook both Stanford and USF and finished eight strokes ahead of second place Vanderbilt who is ranked eleventh. The Seminoles were one of just four teams to finish the tournament under par and the only squad to have two players with top five finishes.
“I feel a turning point was yesterday afternoon when we found a way to fight back and give ourselves the opportunity to win,” said Jones. “Today's team round is one of the better rounds we have played this year. This was a hard course with a great field.”
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Rowin Caron 2 67 71 67 205 Hank Lebioda 4t 67 73 67 207 Jack Maguire 17t 72 72 70 214 Josh Lee 25t 69 75 73 217 Anthony Alex 59t 81 71 75 227
No. 2 FSU Finishes First Round Strong At Seminole Intercollegiate.
March 13, 2015
TALLAHASSEE, FL – At one point on Friday the second-ranked Seminoles were sitting in 12th-place in a field of 17 in their own tournament. As FSU left the 15th hole and saw their name sitting near the bottom half of the leaderboard Seminole head coach Trey Jones noticed that his group was bothered and they went on to respond. The Noles rallied into a tie for fourth at -4 after the first day of the Seminole Intercollegiate.
“Looking at the results we were in 12th place with about four holes to play today and we’re in fourth right now,” said Jones. “We played six-under par on the last three or four holes. I think the guys saw the leaderboard and looked at where we were at and I think that kind of shook them up a little bit and got them going. I am proud of our finish and we’ll get out in the morning and get after it.”
Despite the strong finish, the opening round of the Seminoles’ only home tournament of the year was a challenge. Facing a field featuring three other top 10 teams and nine top 50 teams, Jones felt his squad didn’t handle the environment as well as they could have.
“I felt like the guys were trying a little too hard today,” said Jones. “They had friends and family out there. They were excited about playing at home and they just didn’t look at ease. They weren’t free, looked tight and weren’t having as much fun as we normally do.
“Today was a tough round. For them to get over that…now they’ve gotten that behind them. I think they will come out and play a better round tomorrow.”
The Seminoles put themselves in a hole on the leaderboard as the team was getting ready to finish play on the front nine and head to hole 10. FSU uncharacteristically stumbled before making the turn. Two players double bogeyed, another bogeyed and two others pared the hole that played the second-toughest on the course on Friday.
“A couple holes there was just really poor execution,” said Jones. “The ninth-hole we played five-over par and that’s a hole we would never normally do that on. The 11th hole we had two great players just make a mess of it around the green. We’ll clean that up. If the guys get on a roll, they can get some confidence out there and they’ll play a good round.”
The roll Jones is hoping to see Saturday most likely will have started after the turn on Friday. All five Seminoles shot under par on the back nine and their combined score of eight-under put the Noles in striking distance of East Tennessee State that shot a blistering 12-under and leads the field.
If the Noles are to make a move to the top of the leaderboard Saturday, the squad will lean on Jack Maguire to continue to lead the way. The sophomore is sitting at third after day one as he shot a four-under. Maguire was once again consistent shooting two-under on both the front nine and the back nine. When Maguire wrapped up his round he and Jones heard the news that the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year was one of just 24 golfers named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list.
“Jack is an exceptional
player and continues to get better,” said Jones. “To be on a list with those players and associated with an award with Mr. Hogan’s name on it is a great tribute to him and what he has done.”
March 14, 2015
TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida State Head Coach Trey Jones expected his team to respond on day two of the Seminole Invitational after entering the round in fourth place. At the start of round two, it seemed the veteran coach was right. On the first eight holes of the day FSU carded seven birdies and an eagle but the nation’s second-ranked squad couldn’t hold on to the momentum and finished the day at even par and currently sits in seventh place at four-under.
Ben Hogan Award watch list member Jack Maguire (-6) once again posted the low score for FSU with a two-under par but even he lost his way following a strong start Saturday.
“It was a struggle,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Jack got off to a great start, five-under par through eight holes. He missed a short putt or two and it shook him up. He comes in with a two-under par. We had that happen throughout the day. We just didn’t handle the disappointments very well and the challenges like we need them to handle them. One shot carried over to the other and we just played a subpar round of even par today.”
“It was tough,” said Maguire. “We just struggled on the greens. We have been practicing these hole locations a lot the past week. We know where the putts are breaking. It’s just execution. I think we are getting frustrated when they are not going in and letting it compile.”
Maguire and Hank Lebioda were the only Seminole scores under par on Saturday and despite Maguire sitting in a tie for third overall, FSU has a long way to go to climb back in their home tournament. East Tennessee State is eight strokes in front leading the tournament and five other teams have at least a three shot lead.
“We know what they can do and they know they can do it,” said Jones. “It will just be whether they are going to be able to get out there in the morning and get out of their way. Handle the challenges.”
“We have to just completely forget these last two rounds and go out and play how we always play this course. If we do that, we can easily put us `15-under out here tomorrow as a team. I think we can and I think we will do it.”
Florida State will enter the final round with a wealth of experience already in 2015 when it comes to playing successfully from behind. In the team’s biggest tournament win of the year, the Seminoles lost the lead on day two and fell into third before climbing back to first on the final day to win the Querencia Cabo Challenge.
“We have had multiple final rounds this year where we all take it deep as a team,” said Maguire. “We know what we can do and what we are capable of. It is just everyone doing their part tomorrow.”
“We haven’t played a tournament this year
where we didn’t compete at the end for a championship,” said Jones. “I think they are going to come out and give a good effort tomorrow. We’ll see.”
March 15, 2015
TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Saturday after an even par second round, Florida State All-America candidate Jack Maguire said the Seminoles were capable of staging a comeback and shooting 15-under on the final day of the Seminole Intercollegiate. The sophomore can not only play but he is also a heck of a prognosticator. Maguire shot an eight-under Sunday leading the Seminoles to a come-from-behind win as the team entered the day in seventh place and eight strokes out of the lead but carded a 17-under par to win the squad’s second straight tournament.
“I knew we could do it,” said Maguire. “Everyone on the team felt that way. We have all gone out on this course and shot six-or seven-under. We all had it in us. It was just committing to it and being confident in ourselves, which we all did.”
“This group has done this before,” said head coach Trey Jones. “The last thing we said coming out of our team meeting was ‘don’t stop believing in yourself, don’t stop believing in your team’ and they didn’t. It was evident today they came out and responded to two mediocre rounds with a great one.”
Maguire once again led the way for the Seminoles as he finished the tournament 14-under and in second place. The Ben Hogan Award watch list member carded four birdies on the first seven holes and bounced back from a round where he had two bogeys and a double bogey to shoot par or better on every hole Sunday.
“I definitely was (looking to set the tone),” said Maguire. “I started off with a couple of birdies so I knew I was hitting it well to start and I just wanted to keep that going. Once I made the turn I saw we were actually in the lead and I knew (my teammates) were doing something big ahead of me. I wanted to keep doing my part and I knew they would keep doing theirs.”
Maguire’s teammates were equally up to the task of closing down and passing seven teams who entered the day either tied or ahead of FSU. Josh Lee shot four-under, Rowin Caron was three-under and both Cristobal Del Solar and Hank Lebioda were two-under. Anthony Alex, playing as an individual, also had a stellar round as he carded a four-under.
“Our main thing this morning was we felt like we were trying to be too perfect out there,” said Jones. “We knew where the pins were, we knew the perfect place to putt from and if it didn’t go there I saw a little bit of dejection. Today our attitude was we don’t care where we hit it, we know how to play from there. That freed them up. They didn’t care where they were going as much. They weren’t trying to be perfect. They got out and played a super round.”
In the last two tournament’s, FSU has now finished ahead of seven top 10 opponents to capture back-to-back titles. On Sunday and on their home course, every Seminole shot under par and none was worse than -2. With Maguire leading the way, the Seminoles saved their best for last finishing ahead of No. 7 Georgia Tech, No. 8 South Carolina and No. 9 USF.
“It is always good to put yourself up against the best in the country especially on our home course,” said Maguire. “To come out here, not take it lightly and put the pedal down today and get the win.”
“We set our schedule to help our players develop for the tour,” said Jones. “We recruit people saying we are going to play great players on great golf courses in great environments and that’s what we do every week. That’s only going to help them and help our team down the road.”
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 2 68 70 64 202 Anthony Alex 4t 68 71 68 207 Hank Lebioda 15t 72 70 70 212 Rowin Caron 23t 71 74 69 214 Josh Lee 28t 73 74 68 215 Cristobal Del Solar 40t 73 75 70 218
No. 2 Golf One Off The Lead At Loaded Valspar Collegiate.
March 23, 2015
PALM CITY, FL – Florida State Head Coach Trey Jones has his No. 2 Seminoles on a roll. In the last two tournaments FSU has participated in, the Seminoles have won both and done so against seven top 10 opponents. On the opening day of the Valspar Collegiate Invitational in Palm City, Fla., FSU finished ahead of six more top 10 programs and was trailing just one other by a stroke heading into Tuesday’s final round.
“It was a very good round for us,” said Jones. “After the rain (there was a 32 minute lightning delay) it was cloudy and it just didn’t feel like a lot of energy out there so we tried to get something going. Give the guys credit. They stepped up and played a good one.”
Florida State shot 14-under after two rounds of play on Monday. Hank Lebioda, Josh Lee, Jack Maguire and Rowin Caron all finished the day among the top 10. Lebioda led the way shooting five-under and sitting in fourth place. Lee finished the day in fifth at -4 and Caron and Maguire are both two-under and sitting in ninth.
“Everyone contributed,” said Jones. “I think we had all five guys count as a score and four guys are in the top 10. When you have a field like this on a great golf course it is going to take everybody. You’re not going to be able to have one or two guys play well and carry the rest. Everyone is going to have to do that tomorrow to give us a chance to win and we’re looking forward to it.”
The Seminoles and LSU were just two of three teams to shoot under par on Monday and the only other team to do so was South Carolina and they shot -4. FSU’s success came on both the long and short holes. The Seminoles led the field on par fives posting an 11-under but FSU also played very well on par threes shooting even par tied with LSU but six strokes better than the next closest team.
“I thought we picked on the easier holes
pretty well today,” said Jones. “The par fives we had in the afternoon. If there was something out there we took advantage of it. I was proud of that.”
March 24, 2015
PALM CITY, FL – In the past three tournaments, the second-ranked FSU men’s golf team has faced fields that included a combined 14 Top 10 teams and in each of those tournaments the Seminoles have finished on top. The latest victory came Tuesday at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational in a field that featured seven other top ten teams including the nation’s No. 1 squad Illinois.
“That was a great effort by our guys,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Each one of the players at some point really didn’t have what they would call their good stuff this week so they struggled but still found a way to put up good scores. It got better as the week went on. I am really proud of them.”
The win at the Valspar marked the eighth time in nine tournaments this season FSU has finished in the top three. The Seminoles have already recorded five tournament titles this season.
“I am obviously proud of this team,” said Jones. “They are a true team that believes in themselves, each other and our program. Each of them did some impressive things this week that help us win.”
Florida State entered the final day in Palm City, Fla. a stroke out of the lead but put together a strong round out distancing the field by five strokes after the final 18. FSU shot a three-under Monday and was one of only three squads to finish the tournament below par.
Junior Hank Lebioda finished the tournament in second place, Jack Maguire placed fourth and Rowin Caron just missed a top 10 finish placing 11th. In the field of 73 golfers only 19 shot under par for the tournament and three were Seminoles.
Maguire and Lebioda had the best final rounds as they combined to shoot seven-under on the final day. The Seminole pair were the only two golfers from one team to shoot five-under or better for the tournament.
“Our top three guys have played like All-Americans all year,” said Jones. “Hank just keeps getting better. He played well enough to win but Greg Yates (Texas A&M) just played a little better. He was in control of his ball all week.
“Jack was struggling in the practice round and first round. Last year he would have lost his patience and struggled all week. He has matured and came back with 66-68. We don't win without that.”
With Caron carding a -2 and Josh Lee finishing in the top 25 as well, Jones received the complete team effort he was looking for going in to the final day. That effort propelled FSU to another impressive win.
“Rowin struggled the last two rounds with his ball striking,” said Jones. “He found away get it around in 71 today. That is a sign of a first class player.
“Josh got us off to a great start. He will continue to learn and start putting three rounds up in the near future.”
“We are getting ready to be in April. That’s when championships are won,” said Jones. “This is the time of the year you want to be playing well and I am happy where weare at.”
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Hank Lebioda 2 69 68 67 204 Jack Maguire 4 74 66 68 208 Rowin Caron 11t 67 73 71 211 Josh Lee 23t 68 70 76 214 Cristobal Del Solar * 38t 68 77 75 220 Anthony Alex 50t 77 72 75 224
No. 1 FSU Golf Closing In On Fourth Straight Tournament Win.
April 6, 2015
GASTONIA, NC – The top-ranked FSU men’s golf team is looking to close out the regular season with an astonishing fourth straight tournament win and the squad is closing in on that goal. After two rounds at the Gary Koch Invitational on Monday, the Seminoles have a nine stroke lead over No. 13 Auburn and the squad is 11 strokes ahead of third-place Kentucky.
“We came out ready to play this morning,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We executed well and took advantage of the par 5's. I am looking forward to seeing how this team sleeps on a lead and how they come out tomorrow.”
Playing without Jack Maguire, one of the nation’s top golfers, due to injury, the Seminoles got strong rounds from all five golfers. The entire team placed inside the top 18 individually. Rowin Caron is tied for the tournament lead (-7) and Cristobal Del Solar is tied for fourth (-4). Josh Lee (-2) is in eighth, Hank Lebioda (E) is tied for 14th and Anthony Alex (+1) is tied for 18th.
“Cristobal and Anthony got us going with an opening round 66 and 69,” said Jones. “I felt like the pins were more difficult in round two. Rowin continues to get better as he struggled with his ball striking but found a way to shoot 70-67.”
On a day when only 13 golfers carded a score
under par, three Seminoles all finished the day at -2 or better. FSU was the only school to place three golfers within the top 13.
April 7, 2015
GASTONIA, NC – The nation’s top-ranked men’s golf team kept rolling on Tuesday. The FSU men captured the Gary Koch Invitational title and in the process set a school record by winning their fourth consecutive tournament title.
FSU opened the final round in Gastonia, NC with a nine stroke lead on 13th-ranked and second place Auburn. The Seminoles were able to pad that lead by another stroke and finish at -22 following the final round. Florida State shot seven-under as a team on the final day to cruise to the title.
Junior Rowin Caron finished in a tie for the tournament lead at eight-under and then captured the individual championship over Michael Johnson of Auburn in a three-hole playoff. While Caron led the way, all five Seminoles finished at even par or better.
Josh Lee had a strong tournament shooting five under and finishing in fourth. Cristobal Del Solar (-3) and Hank Lebioda (-2) finished eighth and 10th, respectively. Anthony Alex logged a top 15 finish as well as he shot even par and ended up in a tie for 14th.
The Seminoles will head into postseason play in just over two weeks in as good as a position as the program has ever been in. Carrying a No. 1 ranking and four straight tournament wins over a combined 14 teams in the top 10 and 27 top 50 schools, head coach Trey Jones’ Seminoles will enter May as one of the favorites to make it to Bradenton and play for the 2015 National Championship.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Rowin Caron 1t 70 67 71 208 Josh Lee 4 71 71 69 211 Cristobal Del Solar 8t 66 74 73 213 Hank Lebioda 10 71 73 70 214 Anthony Alex 14t 69 76 71 216
Top Ranked Seminole Golf One Off Of The Lead At ACC Championships.
April 24, 2015
NEW LONDON, NC – The postseason is under way for the nation’s No. 1 men’s golf squad. The Seminoles opened ACC Championship play on Friday and carded a six-under finishing the round one stroke behind Clemson for the tournament lead.
“The course played tougher than years past today,” said head coach Trey Jones. “The greens were firm and we have more rough this year.”
Hank Lebioda led the way for FSU on Friday as the junior from Winter Springs, Fla. shot four-under, good for a tie for second. Sophomore Josh Lee was the only other Seminole to shoot under par as his -2 put him in the top 10 following the first round. Jack Maguire and Rowin Caron each shot even par while Christian Del Solar was +3 on the day.
“Hank played a very solid round today,” said Jones. “He got us off to a good start and that is what you need your captain to do. Josh came out of the gate ready to play as he was -3 through six. For the past four tournaments Josh has played as well as anyone on our team.
“Rowin struggled early with his ball striking but hung in and made a couple putts on the last four holes,” said Jones. “Jack looked like a guy who was not comfortable on the front nine. It got better as the round progressed and shot 33 coming in for an even par start. I am confident Cristobal will go get us a good score tomorrow.”
The Seminoles hold a one stroke lead over No. 24 Virginia and are two in front of No. 10 Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Two other top 25 schools, No. 20 UNC and No. 22 Wake Forest, are currently +5 and +9 respectively.
“We are expecting rain all day tomorrow so we need be prepared to not let the elements dictate our
mind set or competitive spirit,” said Jones of round two.
April 25, 2015
NEW LONDON, NC – For a good portion of Saturday’s second round at the ACC Men’s Golf Championships it looked as if the top-ranked Seminoles may be putting themselves in a hole they couldn’t dig out of. As has happened all year, one of head coach Trey Jones’ players stepped up to lead FSU back into contention. On Saturday, it was Jack Maguire who picked up his team by shooting a six-under 66 and keeping the Noles one shot behind tournament leader Georgia Tech.
“Jack showed why he is one of the top players in the country,” said Jones following Saturday’s round. “Cold and rainy day and he went out got us a 66.”
The Seminoles entered the day one off the lead but at times during day two FSU fell from a -6 to start the round to even par as the field started to put distance between themselves and the nation’s top-ranked squad. As has happened all year long, FSU found a way to put itself back into contention with a back nine that saw four of the five Seminoles card even pars while Maguire carded a four-under. The Noles were also aided by Cristobal Del Solar who joined Maguire with the only below-par score of the day for FSU carding a two-under.
During the Seminoles current, and unprecedented, four match win streak heading into the ACC Championships, FSU has only entered the final round leading on one occasion. In the squad’s three other wins, the Noles have been in second, third and seventh entering the final day of play.
“That was a gutsy effort for all our guys today,” said Jones. “We have a chance to win tomorrow and that is all you can ask for. We have been in this position in every tournament this season. The guys know what it will take and I am confident they be ready in the morning. I like the 5 guys I get to take to the first tee tomorrow.”
The
Seminoles (-12), while just one off the lead, are bunched in a group of five teams that are separated by just two strokes. FSU is tied for second with Clemson and Virginia and just one stroke in front
of Virginia Tech.
April 26, 2015
NEW LONDON, NC – Sunday’s final round at the ACC Men’s Golf Championship seemed like it would play out just like the last four tournament wins for the No. 1 FSU men’s golf team. The Seminoles were tied for the tournament lead on the back nine of the final round but unlike the previous four tournament wins, on Sunday the Seminoles couldn’t find the one stroke they needed to join Georgia Tech and Clemson in a playoff for the title.
“While that is a hard loss to take, we will grow from that and use the experience in a positive manner,” said head coach Trey Jones. “It's easy to look at the last green as a missed opportunity. But every player can find a shot or two a round that didn't go their way, so one shot for five players over three rounds is a fine line.”
All five of Jones’ golfers were even par or better on Sunday led by Josh Lee at -3, Jack Maguire at -2 and Rowin Caron at -1. Despite the low scores, FSU was fighting all day long in a back-and-forth battle with Tech and Clemson to take the title.
“These guys gave us everything they had and fought to the end,” said Jones. “I will take these guys and play anyone anywhere.”
Maguire led FSU for the tournament finishing eight-under and in a tie for fifth place. It was the sophomores third straight top five finish, his fourth of the season and his six finish inside the top 10. Hank Lebioda just missed a top 10 finish tying for 11th at three-under. Lee notched his second consecutive top 15 finish as his two-under placed him in a tie for 14th.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 5t 72 66 70 208 Hank Lebioda 11t 68 73 72 213 Josh Lee 14t 70 75 69 214 Cristobal Del Solar 23t 75 70 71 216 Rowin Caron 25t 72 73 72 217
Lebioda Leads Seminoles Through First Round Of NCAA Regionals.
May 14, 2015
CHAPEL HILL, NC – No. 1 ranked and top seeded Florida State is in a tie for third place in the team standings after the first round of the NCAA Men’s Golf Chapel Hill Regional Championship at Finley Golf Course on the campus of the University of North Carolina. The Seminoles were led in the first round by junior Hank Lebioda (Winter Springs, Fla.) who is in a tie for ninth place in the individual standings after shooting a 3-under par score of 69.
Charlotte, ranked 50th nationally by Golfstat and seeded ninth in the regional championship, is in first place in the team standings after blazing to a 13-under par score of 275. The 49ers have three players in the top three and four players in the top 20 of the individual standings. North Carolina’s William Register holds the individual lead after the first 18 holes with a 6-under par score of 66. Register holds a one stroke lead over Billy Kennerly of Clemson and a three stroke lead over Florida State’s Lebioda.
The top five teams in the regional championship will advance to the NCAA National Championship Finals at the Concession Club in Tampa, Fla., May 29-June 3. The regional championship is scheduled for three rounds and will conclude on Saturday.
"We got off to a good start as a team on the front nine,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Overall, we played pretty well but we did some uncharacteristic things coming in. We hit four tee balls off the course on the last four holes that cost us eight shots. We have five guys in the round all day but Hank (Lebioda) was the only one to shoot in the 60’s. We need to carry the positives into tomorrow and leave the negatives behind us.”
Lebioda, who earned All-ACC honors for the third time in his career earlier this week, carded 17 holes scored at par or better with four birdies. He was never above par during the round as was as many as three strokes under par. His score of 69 was his 12th score in the 60’s and was only three strokes from tying his career low score of 66. Lebioda’s score of 69 tied his career best single round sc Illustrating the strength of the 75-player field, Lebioda is in a tie for eighth place in the individual standings with his 3-under par score of 69. He is only three strokes out of the individual lead and one of 22 players who shot below par in the first round of play.
Sophomore Jack McGuire (St. Petersburg, Fla.), who was also named to the All-ACC team earlier this week, carded a 2-under par score of 70 and is in a tie for 13th place in the individual standings. He carded four birdies and was 4-under par over the course of his final 12 holes of the round.
Sophomore Josh Lee (Orange Park, Fla.) carded an eagle on the par 5 hole No. 6 and is in a tie for 31st place in the individual standings with a score of 73.
May 15, 2015
CHAPEL HILL, NC – Sophomore Jack Maguire shot a 3-under par 69 and moved into a tie for third place in the individual standings, and the Seminole men’s golf team is in third place in the team standings with one round remaining to be played in the 2015 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional Championship at Finley Golf Course at the University of North Carolina. The Seminoles are currently seven strokes ahead of Clemson and North Carolina as they battle to finish among the top five teams in the regional championship.
The top five teams after Saturday’s final round will advance to the NCAA Championship Finals May 29-June 3 at Concession Club in Tampa. Fla. Stanford (first, 565), Charlotte (second, 566), Florida State (third, 570), Florida (tied for fourth, 573) and Kennesaw State (tied for fourth, 573) are the top five teams after the first two rounds of play. Clemson (tied for sixth, 575) and North Carolina (tied for sixth, 575) are only two strokes above the current line with 18 holes left to play on Saturday.
J.T. Poston of Western Carolina, who is playing in the event as an individual competitor, is in first place in the individual standings with a two day total of 136. He has carded scores of 68 in both of the first two rounds. Poston in the only player in the field who has carded scores in the 60’s in both of the first two rounds of the championship.
"The golf course could not have played easier today,” said head coach Trey Jones. “Shooting 2-under par was disappointing but we still have a chance to win. We need all five guys at par or better tomorrow. We have some guys who are struggling with their golf swings and they are letting that frustrate them.”
Maguire (St. Petersburg, Fla.) carded 17 holes at par or better with four birdies to finish with his score of 69 in Friday’s second round. He has a two day total of 139 and is only three strokes behind Poston. McGuire is the only Seminole who has carded below par score in both of the first two rounds with scores of 70 and 69. He is Florida State’s leading golfer this season with a career-low 70.56 stroke average in 32 rounds played. His total of 139 for the first two rounds is the fifth time this season that he has carded a 36-hole score of 139 or better.
“Jack played another good round that could have been a low one,” said Jones. “He is gaining confidence as the tournament goes on. I have no doubt that he will play a good round tomorrow.”
Junior Hank Lebioda (Winter Springs, Fla.) is in a tie for 11th place in the individual standings with a two round total of 142. He carded a 73 in the second round after finishing with a 3-under par score of 69 in the first round. Lebioda scored 16 holes at par or better with two birdies and was never more than one stoke over par during the second round. He closed the round with a string of eight consecutive holes scored at par.
Sophomore
Josh Lee (Orange Park, Fla.) was the second of two Seminoles who finished with a below par score in the second round as he carded a 1-under par 71.
May 16, 2015
CHAPEL HILL, NC – The top-ranked FSU men’s golf team is moving on to the NCAA National Championships for the fourth straight year and for the sixth time in the last nine years under head coach Trey Jones. The Seminoles finished in third-place at the NCAA Regionals in Chapel Hill, NC and automatically qualified for the NCAA Finals, which will be played in Bradenton, Fla. from May 29- June 3.
The Seminoles were one of just five teams to finish the Chapel Hill NCAA Regional under par shooting -11 for the tournament. All-American candidate Jack Maguire led the way for FSU. The sophomore finished -5 and in a tie for seventh. It was the eighth top 10 finish for Maguire this season and his fourth straight finish in the top seven of a tournament.
Maguire was joined in the top 10 by Hank Lebioda and Cristobal Del Solar. For Lebioda, it was also his eighth top 10 finish of the year while Del Solar has placed in the top 10 in two of his last three tournaments. Four of the five Seminoles playing in the tournament finished in the top 25.
Florida State finished third in the NCAA Finals in 2010 and has placed in the top 15 four times under Jones. FSU will enter the championship as one of the favorites after spending a majority of the spring ranked No. 1 in the nation. The Seminoles have combined to finish ahead of 14 teams ranked in the top 10 throughout the season in four different tournaments.
UNC Finley Golf Course/Chapel Hill, NC/Par 72 1. Charlotte 845 8. North Carolina 870 2. Stanford 850 9. GRU Augusta 871 3. Florida State 853 10. Wake Forest 874 4. Florida 855 11. Penn State 879 5. Clemson 859 12. Loyola - Maryland 891 6. Kennesaw State 866 13. Miami of Ohio 897 7. McNeese State 867
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 7t 70 69 72 211 Hank Lebioda 9t 69 73 71 213 Cristobal Del Solar 9t 72 73 68 213 Josh Lee 23t 73 71 73 217 Rowin Caron 39t 73 74 72 219
Top Seeded Noles Open NCAA Championship In 14th.
May 29, 2015
BRADENTON, FL – Concession Golf Club proved to be a challenge for the women at last week’s NCAA National Championship and it was no different for the men on Friday. The top-seeded Seminoles had an up-and-down day that saw the team as high as third and as low as 17th at points during the opening round. When all was said and done FSU wrapped up the day 10-over and in a tie for 14th, good enough after day one to be in position to make the first cut after Sunday.
“Each player got out over par pretty quick,” said Jones. “I thought we fought it back really well in the middle of the round and it looked like we were in good position to go down the stretch and we just didn’t get it done today.”
The opening round started well enough for FSU with Cristobal Del Solar carding an eagle on the first hole of the day for the Seminoles but after seven holes the team was five-over. The 17th and 18th seemed to spark FSU as the Noles recorded an eagle and four birdies on the final two holes before the turn to move into a tie for third at one-over heading to holes 1-9.
The Seminoles then played the next four holes at even par before coming on the 480-yard, par-four fifth hole. FSU had a season-worst six-over counting score on the hole dropping the squad from one-over par to plus-seven.
“The turning point was the fifth hole,” said Jones. “We just didn’t execute. It’s a hard golf hole. We had four shots in the fairway and then just didn’t hit a good shot in. Then we hit the water off the tee. That’s the sum of the back nine.”
FSU had just one birdie the rest of the way leaving them in the middle of the pack on a day when only one team shot under par. With the top eight teams advancing to match play Monday, FSU is still sitting just four shots out of that key group.
“We had a 10-over for the day which was a high for all season and not something we are accustomed to,” said Jones. “This tournament is a marathon, not a sprint.
“We talk about it all the time. It is how quickly you can get from one shot to the other. Now were going to see how quickly they can get back mentally from one round to the next. This course is going to beat you up. It’s not going to let you get on top of it.
Jack Maguire and Hank Lebioda once again led the way for FSU. Maguire is sitting in a tie for 13th at minus-one while Lebioda carded a plus-one including four birdies on the day. Maguire led the way with a two-under on holes 10-18 including an eagle on 17 and he was the only Seminole to shoot under par on holes 1-9.
“I hit it well and the ball striking kept it from getting away from me a couple of times,” said Maguire. “It took a little bit to get used to the greens. The first hole I had a three-putt and it was a little hard to gather myself after that. I got comfortable around my seventh hole and felt I wasn’t playing as safe.
“I realized there’s birdies out here and you don’t have to be aggressive for them. You just have to hit some good shots and luckily I started doing that. It wasn’t one of my better ball striking days but I managed my bad shots pretty well.”
With a 7:00 a.m. tee time on Saturday, the Seminoles won’t have much time to dwell on the final nine holes where they shot nine-over and where they will begin round two. The team will enter Saturday in a position that isn’t entirely unfamiliar either as FSU has come from behind to win four of the squad’s school-record six tournament titles this year.
“Coach said it best telling us we wouldn’t want to sit around all day before we came back out again,” said Lebioda. “We are going to be the first people out on the golf course. We are going to get it in perfect shape. The winds should be died down at that point. So we are excited to come out and play again and see what this golf course has to offer us.”
“They are going to come out and compete tomorrow,”
said Jones. “The key is not to come out frustrated. They have to approach this in a mature way and understand this is college golf and other guys are going to make mistakes along the way.”
May 30, 2015
BRADENTON, FL – The way the top-seeded Seminoles ended round one yesterday, the team was excited to get back out on the course Saturday even if it meant a 7:00 a.m. start. Two holes into round two FSU was already five-over par but after shooting one-under the rest of the way Florida State is once again in a good position at plus-14. The Seminoles are in tenth place and just one stroke away from eighth, which would mean moving on to match play.
“We started out really poor,” said head coach Trey Jones. “We were five-over par as a team through two holes and after a disappointing back nine yesterday that is something we really didn’t need. It looked like it could go either way.
“We changed our coaching style a little bit. Instead of walking with a certain player I bounced around and motivated a little bit. They really responded and shot one-under over the last 16 holes and that’s really hard to do on this course.”
Junior Hank Lebioda had the top round of the day for FSU carding a two-under par. The Winter Springs, Fla. native stayed under control as the Seminoles got off to a rocky start shooting one-under through the first three holes. Lebioda went into the clubhouse at one-under sitting in the top 15 individually and will start tomorrow in 12th.
“There’s your captain,” said Jones of Lebioda. “I’ve always said your big players show up in the big moments and when you need them. It’s one thing to play well in February but your guys who can play always do when they get in these situations. That’s a sign of a good player.”
“I was really proud of the way I played,” said Lebioda after the round. “I was very consistent. I only missed two greens today and that is what you have to do. You have to hit the greens and take care of business when you can and that is what I was able to do.”
The Seminoles also got a boost from the second half of the line-up today. Cristobal Del Solar and Josh Lee both turned in counting scores helping Florida State cut yesterday’s total by six strokes.
“We talked about it on the bus ride over at 5:00 a.m. this morning,” said Jones. “I challenged Cristobal and Josh to give us counting scores and they both did. They’ve done it all year and they sure didn’t leave us hanging out the gate. Both of those guys doubled the second hole and still hung in there.”
After a bogey on the second hole of the day, Del Solar shot one-under the rest of the day. The redshirt sophomore, who played at Bradenton’s IMG Academy, shot six-over on Friday and adjusted to the difficult course at the Concession Club better than anyone on the Seminoles’ roster.
“Today was much better than yesterday,” said Del Solar. “My struggles were the greens. I was hitting the ball well but my putting was not good. I got a little feel yesterday afternoon with some practice. Today was much better and I made a few long putts.
“I think the more you
get to know this course the more it helps you. I think tomorrow is going to be a good day for all of us.”
May 31, 2015
BRADENTON, FL – Heading to the back nine Sunday, the top-seeded Seminoles had to feel fairly confident about their position in the standings at the 2015 NCAA Golf Championships. With nine holes to go, FSU was -2 for the day after playing holes 10-18 and was flirting with a spot in the top five on the leaderboard. A rough back nine had the team sweating the cut before moving to solidify a would-be spot prior to lightning ending the round with FSU still having three holes to play.
Hank Lebioda (hole 7), Jack Maguire (hole 8) and Cristobal Del Solar (hole 9) will start tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. and finish up round three looking to clinch FSU’s spot in the final stroke play round, which is set to start at approximately 10:00 a.m. with the top 15 teams. Florida State is sitting at plus-19 in 11th place and has a seven-stroke lead on two other schools tied for 15th.
“We knew it was going to be a yo-yo, this golf course,” said head coach Trey Jones. “It’s going to be up-and-down from one shot to the other. It’s not a golf course you can really get it going. We actually got off to a slow start again today and regrouped and had it going well. All of a sudden we ran into the hardest part of the golf course.”
The trouble for the Seminoles came on holes five, six and seven. The team combined to shoot six-over par on those three holes, leaving FSU sitting too close to the cut line for anyone’s comfort. Thanks to Cristobal Del Solar and Rowin Caron, who collected three birdies on holes seven, eight and nine, Florida State gave itself the cushion it needed to most-likely advance following the completion of round three Monday.
“This course can be frustrating at times,” said Caron. “You can hit a really good shot and end up in a bad spot 20 yards from where you were. That’s the course and everyone has to deal with that.”
Caron had his best round of the tournament and it couldn’t have come at a better time for FSU with the normally rock solid junior Hank Lebioda struggling to a plus-six with three holes still to complete. Caron played the back nine even including a key birdie on the ninth hole to end the day.
“I actually hit it pretty well today,” said Caron. “I’ve actually been hitting it good the last couple of days even though my scores didn’t show that. I have just been missing it in the wrong spots. Today was a little better. I got off to a rough start making double on my second hole. I was already two-over. This course is hard to force birdies so I had to stay patient. I made a couple of birdies and not too many bogeys so that was nice. It was better and nice to finish with a birdie.”
Del Solar also had a strong round, his second in a row, as he carded a two-under. After shooting six-over the first day, Del Solar has shot one-over and two-under the last two days to trail only Jack Maguire for the Seminoles’ best score of the tournament.
Due to the late afternoon lightning, the Seminoles find themselves in a difficult situation Monday. With almost two-thirds of the final 15 teams already completing their third rounds, FSU will have to be on a bus at 5:15 a.m. to finish up round three before going back out a few hours later to face teams that completed their Sunday rounds earlier in the day and could arrive at the course three hours after FSU.
“We talk about all the time in golf, you never know what your next shots going to be,” said Jones. “You never know where you are going to hit it. That’s what’s great about golf. You have to be able to think on your feet. You have to be able to adapt…They are young. They will adapt to it but obviously it’s not ideal. A nice reward would have been to sleep in and rest up to prepare for tomorrow. It’s part of the game.”
Should the Seminoles move on to the final 15 Monday, the squad’s next challenge will be making up at least five strokes to get into the final eight and advance to match play on Tuesday. UCLA and Georgia Tech are currently tied for eighth at plus-14.
“We have played in several events where we have trailed in the final round,” said Jones. “At our own event we were around seven back and won. When you know you are that far behind going into it you are going to have to play a great round. I think when our guys know that we’ll see their best tomorrow. We never quit believing in ourselves and that’s one of the reasons we won six times this year. I expect us to qualify for that final eight.”
“Our mindset will be the same going into the elimination round,” said Caron. “We know we are good. We have been playing really
well this year. We know we can shoot low scores. We have beat everyone in this field. We have to be confident and believe in ourselves. That’s what coach always tells us. We are the best team here and
we are number one in the country for a reason. We are just going to go out tomorrow and shoot a low score.”
June 1, 2015
BRADENTON, FL – All season long the No. 1 Florida State golf team found a way to win tournaments. On four occasions the Seminoles came from behind on the final day of a tournament to win, when FSU needed to come through the squad always did. In the fourth round of the NCAA Golf Championships Monday the team was unable to make up the ground it needed to advance to match play ending the most successful season in school history.
“This was one of the only times, if not the only time, this year when we really needed a big round on the final day and we didn’t get it,” said head coach Trey Jones. “That’s golf. That’s going to happen. It happens to tour players and surely we are not immune to it as 18-22 year old players.”
Florida State advanced from the field of 30 to the round of 15 on Sunday but needed a strong round Monday to make up ground and move into the top eight. It just wasn’t to be in the fourth round. FSU finished ten-over for the day and +29 for the tournament, good for an 11th place finish. It was the sixth top 15 finish at the NCAA Championships since Jones took over the program in 2003-04.
“We hadn’t played great the first three rounds but we were still in a position to come out and compete and possibly get into that top eight,” said junior captain Hank Lebioda. “It didn’t work out the way we planned or hoped. We worked our butts off all year.
“Just because we didn’t succeed this one time we can’t dwell on that and we can’t let it define our season. Hopefully the guys realize that and are proud of what they’ve accomplished this entire year as a whole not just a single event.”
The Seminoles entered the tournament as the number one ranked team in the nation and the top seed in the tournament, both program firsts. They also set school records with six tournament wins and four straight titles. FSU came into the tournament having finished ahead of almost every team in the field at one point or another during the season and never finishing out of the top five, making even an 11th place national finish seem below their high expectations.
“It was a great season and arguably the best season in Florida State history,” said Jones. “It just wasn’t a great week. We needed a great week and just didn’t get it.”
“I am very proud of what we accomplished this year,” said Lebioda. “It’s something that has never happened before at Florida State and this group of guys is going to be back next year. There are no seniors on this roster. It’s really humbling that I’d be able to be a part of such a team and lead such good guys and good golfers to success this program has never experienced before. I am really proud and hopefully the guys are too. I hope they relish how good we played the entire year and be proud.”
On Monday, the Seminoles didn’t get the rounds they needed from the two best golfers on the roster as Lebioda shot a 76 and Jack Maguire had a tournament-high round of 74. Rowin Caron kept his momentum going with a round of 72, his best of the championships but Cristobal Del Solar and Josh Lee both posted scores of 76 as well. Maguire finished 22nd overall and Solar finished 35th.
None of the five Seminoles who played this weekend are seniors giving Jones the opportunity to use the team’s play in Bradenton going into next season.
“I never miss an opportunity to teach and they never need to miss an opportunity to learn,” said Jones.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Rnd4 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ==== ===== Jack Maguire 22t 71 73 72 74 290 Cristobal Del Solar 43t 78 73 69 76 296 Hank Lebioda 45t 73 70 78 76 297 Rowin Caron 54t 76 78 74 72 300 Josh Lee 77t 78 76 79 76 309