2018 Men's Golf - Year In Review
Trey Jones, Head Coach
Robert Duck, Assistant Coach, Player Development
Mary Michael Maggio
Click here to see individual mug shots
2018 Men's Golf - Year In Review | |
| Coaching Staff Trey Jones, Head Coach Robert Duck, Assistant Coach, Player Development Mary Michael Maggio Click here to see individual mug shots |
|
Parker Reddig, Minneapolis, Minn.
2018 Roster - By Name
L
T PY
R Name Hgt Wgt Cl Ltr Hometown (Prior School)
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* Bennett Baker 6-2 Jr ** Tallahassee (Chiles)
* Corey Carlson 5-7 Jr ** Green Cove Springs (Clay)
* Jake Carter 5-11 So * Aiken, S.C. (South Aiken)
* Harry Ellis 5-11 Sr-R *** Southampton, England (Wildern School)
* Jonathan Keppler 6-0 So-R * Marietta, Ga. (Kennesaw Mountain)
* Jamie Li 5-10 So Bath, England (Millfield School)
* John Pak Fr Scotch Plains, N.J. (Scotch Plains-Fanwood)
* Greyson Porter 5-6 So Clearwater (Shorecrest Prep)
Parker Reddig Fr Minneapolis, Minn. (Shattuck-Saint Mary's)
2018 Conference Awards
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Harry Ellis Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
John Pak Atlantic Coast Conference - Freshman of the Year
Atlantic Coast Conference - All-Conference
All-Conference - 2
2018 All-Americans
Name Organization
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John Pak Golf Coaches Association of America - Freshman All-American
Golf Coaches Association of America - 3rd Team All-American
All-Americans - 1
2018 Schedule and Results
GAME |
SCORE |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doc Gimmler Invitational September 9-10, 2017, Farmingdale, N.Y. |
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| Olympia Fields Invitational September 15-17, 2017, Olympia Fields, Ill. |
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| Marquette Intercollegiate October 1-3, 2017, Hartford, Wis. |
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| Golf Club of Ga Coll Champ October 20-22, 2017, Alpharetta, Ga. |
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| Mobile Sports Intercollegiate February 12-13, 2018, Mobile, Ala. |
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| USA Individual Tournament February 12-13, 2018, Mobile, Ala. |
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| Seminole Intercollegiate February 24-25, 2018 |
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| Querencia Cabo Collegiate March 4-6, 2018, Los Cabos, Mexico |
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| Southern Intercollegiate Athens, Ga. |
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| Valspar Collegiate Invite March 18-20, 2018, Palm City, Fla. |
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| Gary Koch Invitational April 9-10, 2018, Gastonia, N.C. |
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| ACC Championship April 20-22, 2018, New London, N.C. |
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| NCAA Normal Regional May 14-16, 2018, Norman, Okla. |
EOY StatsRef Overall Home Away Neutral ------------------------------------------------ FSU record is 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0 0- 0
2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Results 1 Georgia Tech 835 2 Clemson 837 3 Wake Forest 838 4 Virginia 840 5 Duke 844 6t North Carolina 845 6t Notre Dame 845 8 North Carolina State 846 9 Florida State 848 10 Boston College 856 11 Louisville 862 12 Virginia Tech 879
2018 EOY Stats
Name Tournaments Rounds Par Low Strokes Wins Top10 Ave ======================================================================== John Pak 12 35 26 65 2,467 1 9 70.49 Harry Ellis 10 29 15 66 2,080 2 3 71.72 Jamie Li 10 29 15 66 2,090 1 3 72.07 Bennett Baker 10 30 15 66 2,169 1 4 72.30 Corey Carlson 3 9 6 70 662 0 0 73.56 Parker Reddig 3 8 2 70 591 0 1 73.88 Jake Carter 7 21 6 70 1,555 0 0 74.05 Greyson Porter 6 17 4 67 1,263 0 1 74.29 Jonathan Keppler 7 21 8 66 1,565 0 2 74.52
Florida State Holds 12-Shot Lead at Doc Gimmler Invitational.
Led by Jonathan Keppler (-5) and John Pak (-4), FSU Men's Golf is 9-under with one
round left to play on Sunday in Farmingdale, N.Y.
September 9, 2017
TALLAHASSEE, FL - The Florida State Men's Golf team got its fall season off on the right foot, shooting 9-under through the first two rounds of the Doc Gimmler Invitational at Bethpage Red in Farmingdale, N.Y. on Saturday.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler ignited FSU's big start, shooting 5-under (66-69) to sit in second place among the 78 individual participants. The Marietta, Ga., native totaled six birdies as part of his first-round 66, then tacked on three more in his second-round 69.
Freshman John Pak, making his FSU debut, is tied for third at 4-under (69-67). The Scotch Plains, N.J., native birdied his final three holes in his first round to spark a quality day on the course.
Behind Florida State is Connecticut (+3), Loyola-Maryland (+4), Harvard (+6) and Johnson & Wales (+8) in the Top five.
FSU's 34 total birdies leads the field, as well as its 4.08 scoring average on par 4s. Junior Bennett Baker, who is seventh at 1-under (68-71), is tied for the lead among all golfers shooting 4-under on par 5 holes.
Sophomore Jake Carter (+4) is tied for 28th, while fellow
sophomore Greyson Porter (+7) is tied for 38th.
TALLAHASSEE, FL – One tournament played. One victory made.
The Florida State Men’s Golf team won Sunday’s Doc Gimmler Invitational at Bethpage Red, garnering a 10-shot victory at 13-under while three Seminoles finished in the Top 10.
Freshman John Pak impressed in his FSU debut, finishing in second place at 9-under. The Scotch Plains, N.J., native ended his final round with a 5-under 65. Included in his low-scoring scorecard were five birdies. Pak finished only two strokes off the lead of Eoin Leonard from Yale, who shot 11-under.
Pak (69-67-65) got better as each round went on, playing at his best on tricky par 3 holes. On the shorter holes, Pak went 3-under in his three rounds played. His 15 total birdies at the Farmingdale, N.Y., course tied for the most among all individual participants.
So far Pak has backed up his high praise as a freshman, ranking seventh in the 2017 signing class by Golfweek with a Top 100 WAGR ranking.
Showing flashes of brilliance last year, redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler started his season well with a 4-under 206 (66-69-71) to tie for third overall. The Marietta, Ga., native shot a 33 on the front nine in his final round, and was one of four student-athletes in the tournament who shot under par on par 4 holes (1-under).
Junior Tallahassee native Bennett Baker backed up his improved season as a sophomore with a tied-for-10th finish (+1). The Chiles High School product birdied consecutive par 4s on the 13th and 14th holes to contribute to a final-round 71.
Sophomore Greyson Porter ended his tournament well with a 1-under 69, and shot 6-over for the three rounds to tie for 31st. Fellow sophomore Jake Carter tied for 37th at 8-over.
Florida State victory is the 21st under head coach Trey Jones, as the Seminoles have won 12 tournaments since the 2012-13 season.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 2 69 67 65 201 Jonathan Keppler 3t 66 69 71 206 Bennett Baker 10t 68 71 71 210 Jake Carter 28t 71 73 74 218 Greyson Porter 31t 77 70 69 216
Baker's 68 Boosts FSU Golf in First Round at Olympia Fields.
Junior Bennett Baker's 2-under showing has him tied for sixth while men's golf is
fifth at 2-over.
September 15, 2017
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL - Tallahassee native and junior golfer Bennett Baker gave Florida State Men's Golf a first-round lift on Friday, shooting a 2-under 68 at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational held at Olympia Fields Country Club.
The Seminoles are just two shots out of the lead at 2-over (282) and enter the second round in fifth place. Alabama, Oklahoma State and Baylor are in a three-way tie for first place at even par, followed by Texas A&M (+1) and FSU in the Top five.
Baker, who attended Chiles High School, strung together four birdies and was consistent through all 18 holes. On a championship-level course, Baker recorded just two bogeys and is tied for sixth among the 78 participants.
"Bennett has a great temperament for hard golf courses," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "He chooses his spots well and has very good composure."
Baker is the lone returning member who was part of the FSU Golf starting five two years ago that won the Fighting Illini Invitational, which routinely features some of the best collegiate programs in the country. Baker's debut came at Olympia Fields that year, where he wound up shooting a first-round 66 and tying for ninth overall.
Freshmen John Pak and redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler continued their torrid starts to the season. Both student-athletes shot even-par 70s, joining Baker as three of just 23 golfers to shoot even or better in the first round. Pak has been at even par or better in all four of his collegiate rounds played after finishing second at last week's Doc Gimmler Invitational.
"John Pak played a beautiful round of golf," Jones added. "He made 13 easy pars, one tough par, two bogies and two birdies. Look for him to continue to climb up the leaderboard this week."
Keppler started his round with his second career eagle on the opening hole, a par-5, 626-yard monster. He added three more birdies, including two on the back nine, to tie for 14th overall.
"Jonathan looks like a different player than when he came here a year ago," Jones said of Keppler. "This course doesn't let up and if you are not confident it will expose you. We are only four rounds into the season but I like where his game is going."
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis made his season debut, finishing with a 4-over 74. Sophomore Greyson Porter is 11-over.
September 16, 2017
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL - Freshman John Pak's even-par 70 in the second round of the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational highlighted Florida State Men's Golf's day at Olympia Fields on Saturday afternoon.
The Seminoles are currently 10-over through two rounds (282-288), sitting solely in sixth place at one of the top tournaments in collegiate golf. Alabama is first at even par, followed by Baylor (+3), Texas A&M (+6), Oklahoma State (+7), Illinois (+7) and FSU.
"I liked our composure and game plan today," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "We didn't execute on the par 5's but that's about it. We have a good opportunity tomorrow."
Pak extended his streak of par or less rounds to five, and tied for 12th in the field at even-par overall (70-70). The Scotch Plains, N.J., native recorded two birdies and just one bogey while adding 15 pars. He birdied the opening par-5, 626-yard hole and added another one on the 11th-hole, 396-yard par 4.
Junior Bennett Baker is tied for 16th among all participants, shooting 1-over and recording a 3-over 73 on Saturday. The Tallahassee native made two birdies on the back nine, including a difficult par-4, 455-yard 17th.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis played well, shooting a 2-over 72 in the second round. He is tied for 37th at 6-over, using three birdies on the back nine to his advantage.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler is tied for 24th overall at 3-over, shooting a 73 on Saturday. Sophomore Greyson Porter is 19-over.
OLYMPIA FIELDS, IL - In one of the nation's top collegiate tournaments, 20th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf finished sixth at the OFCC Fighting Illini Invitational held at Olympia Fields on Sunday afternoon.
"A lot of positives this week," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "John (Pak) is a special player and a great addition to our team. You come to Florida State to not only play in events like Olympia Fields but to compete to win. We learned this team has a big upside and a lot to work on."
FSU finished 14-over (282-288-284), bettering itself by four strokes in its final round compared to its second round on Saturday. Texas A&M won the tournament and was the only team to finish under par at 3-under.
Pak carded his sixth consecutive round at par or less, shooting a 2-under 68 on Sunday in his final round. Pak also finished at 2-under overall (70-70-68) to place eighth overall. For the three-day tournament, the Scotch Plains, N.J., native finished 5-under on par 5 holes, tying Stanford's Brandon Wu and Oklahoma State's Matthew Wolff for the lowest par 5 score in the field.
In his six rounds played at FSU, Pak has finished under par in four of them and at even par twice.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis played a flawless round on Sunday, posting FSU's best single-round score at the tournament with a 3-under 67. Ellis' 18 holes on Sunday included three birdies on par-4 holes and 15 pars. Ellis tied for 18th and finished 3-over for the tournament (74-72-67).
Junior Bennett Baker got himself a Top 20 finish after tying for 20th at 4-over (68-73-73). Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler tied for 39th at 6-over (70-73-76) and sophomore Greyson Porter tied for 76th at 26-over (81-78-77).
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 8 70 70 68 208 Harry Ellis 18t 74 72 67 213 Bennett Baker 20t 68 73 73 214 Jonathan Keppler 39t 70 73 76 219 Greyson Porter 76t 81 78 77 236
Florida State Men's Golf Tied for Ninth at Erin Hills.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler provides the team's brightest spot with a 2-over 74 at
the Marquette Intercollegiate. October 1, 2017
ERIN HILLS, WI – A high-level U.S. Open course at Erin Hills reared its ugly head on Sunday for all 15 teams at the Marquette Intercollegiate. For Florida State Men's Golf, it is currently tied for ninth in the field at 13-over (301) through the first round.
USF holds the lead at even-par (288), a sign of the course's immense length and difficulty. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler led the Seminoles with a 2-over 74, putting him in a tie for 22nd. The Marietta, Ga., native totaled three birdies, all on par-4 holes. Keppler shot 37 on both the front and back nine.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis was one stroke off of Keppler, shooting a 3-over 75. The England native had four bogeys but did record a birdie on a par-3, 200-yard 16th hole. Ellis is tied for 28th.
Sophomore Jamie Li had a good debut with a 4-over 76, notching two birdies including one on the front and back ends. The Bath, England, native made his fifth career tournament appearance for the Seminoles.
Freshman John Pak broke his par or lower streak at sixth rounds, matching Li with a 76. Pak's highlight came on his lone birdie at the 594-yard par-5 on the 14th. Pak and Li are each tied for 37th.
Sophomore Jake Carter is tied for 63rd with a 7-over 79, while junior Bennett Baker is tied for 78th at 9-over.
October 2, 2017
ERIN HILLS, WI - Redshirt senior Harry Ellis tied his career low vs. par by shooting a 6-under 66 on Monday at Erin Hills. The eye-opening score drove 24th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf up the leaderboard into fourth place (+12) through two rounds at the Marquette Intercollegiate.
Ellis' feat is even more impressive considering the length of Erin Hills, which played host to the 2017 U.S. Open won by Seminole Brooks Koepka. Ellis' 6-under score is the fourth time in his career he has shot 6-under in a round, last doing it in the second round of last year's NCAA Championship held at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
"Harry played one of the better rounds I have coached today," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "He has been playing really well at home and it is great to see that translate to the road. He has exceptional length and (hitting it) straight seems to work well for Seminoles around Erin Hills.
"Harry's wedge game and putter have come a long way since he arrived. He is definitely a complete player at the moment."
Ellis vaulted up to a tie for second place with a 3-under 141, moving up 26 spots from when he was tied for 28th through the first round. Half of his holes played on Monday were birdies, shooting 33s on both the front and back nine. His 10 birdies through two rounds is tied with Augusta's Gustav Andersson for the most among all golfers.
Ellis' 6-under showing is also the lowest round vs. par by a Seminole in the early season, surpassing freshman John Pak's 5-under 65 in the final round of the Doc Gimmler.
The Seminoles (+12) trail tournament leader Texas A&M (+4) by eight shots heading into the final round. UCLA is in second place at 5-over, followed by Marquette (+10), FSU and Michigan State (+17) in the Top five. FSU shaved 14 strokes off its team score on Sunday, shooting 1-under on Monday.
"I am proud of the young guys today," Jones added. "Jamie (Li), John (Pak) and Jake (Carter) don't have 10 college tournament appearances combined and they showed me something today. They each had a tough stretch and bounced back."
Pak and Li each shot 2-over 74s on Monday, and are both tied for 27th overall at 6-over apiece. Carter added a sharp 1-over 73 and is tied for 47th overall at 8-over.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler shot a 9-over 81, while junior
Bennett Baker, playing individually, had a 3-over 75 on Monday.
October 3, 2017
ERIN HILLS, WI - Redshirt senior Harry Ellis delivered his first collegiate tournament title on Tuesday afternoon, sharing the Marquette Intercollegiate championship with Marquette's Austin Kendziorski as both golfers finished 3-under at Erin Hills.
Ellis (75-66-72) shot even-par on Tuesday to boost the Seminoles, which finished fourth overall at 23-over (301-287-299). He used two birdies to his advantage on the back nine, which included a frantic finish where he birdied the par-4, 481-yard 17th but bogeyed the long par-5, 675-yard 18th.
However, Kendziorski had an opportunity to win the tournament outright as he had three holes remaining as Ellis finished play. The Marquette golfer parred the 16th, bogeyed the 17th but birdied the 18th to create the tie.
For Ellis, Tuesday's co-championship is another milestone for the England native who has enjoyed a phenomenal year-long run. And it adds to the recent Florida State Men's Golf lore at Erin Hills, which was dominated by Seminole Brooks Koepka 3 ½ months ago as he picked up his first major title.
"I am proud of Harry for taking another significant step in his golf career," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "You don't always get what you think you deserve in golf but Harry deserved this win. He played through a very painful neck injury all day and still performed at a very high level. He continues to lead by example in every way."
Ellis' 66 on Monday was the lowest single round of any golfer at this year's Marquette Intercollegiate. Since 1994, Ellis is the 17th different Seminole to win at least one collegiate tournament in his career. He navigated the difficult winds that brought higher scores across the board on Tuesday, as Texas A&M took home the tournament crown finishing 2-over.
Fourteen of the 15 teams shot above par in the final round, as UCLA (second: +13), Marquette (+15), FSU and Michigan State (+30) round out the Top five.
Sophomore Jamie Li impressed in his first outing of the year, tying for 16th at 5-over after shooting a 1-under 71 in his final round. Li totaled three birdies and used a fast-starting 33 on the front nine, which includes three birdies on holes 3 (476-yard par 4), 5 (505-yard par 4) and 7 (607-yard par 5).
Freshman John Pak tied for 34th at 11-over, shooting a 5-over 77 in his final day. Sophomore Jake Carter went 15-over for his final score, shooting a 79 on Tuesday.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler tied for 70th at 20-over, and junior Bennett Baker continued his play as an individual and tied for 75th (+22).
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Harry Ellis 1t 75 66 72 213 Jamie Li 16t 76 74 71 221 John Pak 34t 76 74 77 227 Jake Carter 51t 79 73 79 231 Jonathan Keppler 70t 74 81 81 236 Bennett Baker * 75t 81 75 82 238
Pak Goes Three-Under in First Round of Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate.
Freshman John Pak's 69 in the opening round leaves him tied for 12th;
Florida State Men's Golf is in 11th at 1-under (287).
October 20, 2017
ALPHARETTA, GA - Freshman John Pak recorded his fifth sub-70 round of the fall on Friday afternoon, carding a three-under 69 to lead Florida State Men's Golf in the opening round of the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate.
Pak used three birdies to his advantage on Friday, recording two in back-to-back variety on the 13th and 14th holes. He added another one on a par-5, 542-yard hole at one, as he currently sits tied for 12th to lead the Seminoles.
The freshman sensation from Scotch Plains, N.J., came into the tournament leading FSU with an average score of 70.67. He has two Top-10 finishes in two of his first three tournaments played.
Florida State is 11th in the 15-team field at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta. The Seminoles shot a 1-under 287, as sophomore Jamie Li also had a good round with a 1-under 71. Li added three birdies and is tied for 25th, joining Pak as the two Seminoles who finished the first round under par.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler shot a 1-over 73. Keppler birdied two holes and bogeyed one on the opening back nine, but had three bogeys on the closing front nine. Redshirt senior Harry Ellis is 2-over with a 74, tying for 54th.
Sophomore Jake Carter finalized FSU's scoring with a 4-over 76.
The Seminoles are one of 11 teams who shot under par
at the 7,017-yard Lakeside course.
October 21, 2017
ALPHARETTA, GA - It was another super outing for freshman John Pak of the Florida State Men's Golf team. He recorded his second straight 3-under 69 and is currently tied for ninth at 6-under overall through two rounds of the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate in Alpharetta, Ga.
While the Scotch Plains, N.J., native showed off his remarkable accuracy from the tee on Friday, Saturday he proved his ability to scramble and get out of tough situations.
"John opened with a very easy 69 in round one," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "He hit all but one fairway and two greens in regulation. Today he didn't drive the ball as well but showed he has a complete game and made some nice par saves late in the round. This is a great course for John and I would not be surprised if he gets a low one tomorrow."
Pak began at the first hole on Saturday and shot a 33 on the front nine, getting three birdies. He shot an even-36 on the back nine, with his only blemish being a bogey on the par-4, 432-yard 14th hole.
Pak is tied for third among all participants in par 3 scoring, shooting 2-under through the first two rounds.
Overall, the Seminoles have a total score of 571 (287-284) and are 5-under, but are in 13th place in the 15-team field. Wake Forest leads the tournament at 23-under. Fourteen of the 15 teams are under par.
Sophomore Jamie Li put together two birdies and three bogeys on Saturday, shooting a 1-over 73. He is tied for 43rd at even-par.
Sophomore Jake Carter improved greatly in the second round with a 2-under 70, making three birdies to just one bogey. Carter and redshirt senior Harry Ellis are both tied for 53rd at 2-over. Ellis' highlight came with FSU's second eagle of the season, putting it in the cup with just two shots on the second-hole, par-4, 339-yarder.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler is tied for 72nd at 7-over.
October 22, 2017
ALPHARAETTA, GA - The Florida State Men's Golf team finished at 6-under (287-284-287) at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate in Alpharetta, placing 13th in the competitive field.
Freshman John Pak headlined the Seminoles by tying for seventh at 6-under overall (69-69-72), recording his third Top-10 finish in four tournaments played this fall. Pak's consistency as a freshman has been remarkable so far, as his presences bodes very well for Florida State this spring.
Pak executed on his par 3s all weekend, finishing 2-under to tie for the third-lowest among all golfers. He added 39 pars, tying for the 10th-most. In Sunday's final round, he notched his first career eagle as it just took three shots to hole out the par-5, 542-yard first hole.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis' seven birdies in the final round contributed to an improved 5-under 67, as he tied for 30th overall at 3-under. Ellis posted consecutive birdies on holes 1-2 and 8-9, shooting a 33 on the front nine.
Sophomore Jamie Li tied for 44th at even-par, which included his final-round 72. Li also birdied the first and second holes, as FSU dominated those two holes combined shooting 8-under (hole one is a par 5, hole two is a par 4) on Sunday.
Sophomore Jake Carter tied for 73rd at 10-over, while redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler tied for 76th at 11-over.
Oklahoma State won the tournament by finishing 27-under (277-286-274).
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 7t 69 69 72 210 Harry Ellis 30t 74 72 67 213 Jamie Li 44t 71 73 72 216 Jake Carter 73t 76 70 80 226 Jonathan Keppler 76t 73 78 76 227
Li, Ellis Help Noles to 13-Shot Lead in Mobile.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis (-7) and sophomore Jamie Li (-7) are tied for first, while the
Seminoles have a sizeable lead through one round at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.
February 12, 2018
MOBILE, AL - Just like the opener to its most recent fall season, the Florida State Men's Golf team has started its spring in fine fashion. FSU is 17-under through one completed round at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, holding a 13-shot lead.
"I'm really proud of the team today," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "There were some external challenges early on with the weather, but they stayed patient and executed well throughout the day."
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis (-7) and sophomore Jamie Li (-7) are tied for first at Magnolia Grove Crossings Course. Ellis carded a 3-under 69 in the first round, then was superb on the front nine in round two when he shot a 32. He was 12 holes through his second round before play was suspended.
Ellis had four consecutive holes under par on the front nine in his second round, which included his sixth career eagle on the 540-yard, par-5 fourth hole. His first-round 69 was his 17th career round in the 60s, including his 16th since the start of his redshirt junior season.
Li recorded a career-low 68 in the first round in Mobile, which involved five birdies to his aid. The native of Bath, England, then carded four consecutive birdies on the front nine of the second round. He has two holes remaining in his second round, which is currently at 62.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler is tied for seventh at 2-under, shooting an even-par 72 in the first round. With three holes left in his second round, he has shot a 59 with four birdies.
Freshman John Pak is 1-under overall and tied for ninth, while sophomore Jake Carter is 4-over and tied for 35th.
Behind Florida State is tournament host South Alabama in second place (-4), followed by Western Kentucky (-2), Notre Dame (+6) and Central Arkansas (+6) in the Top 5.
"I felt our preparation was good and it's gratifying to see it applied on the road," Jones added.
In the separate USA Individual Tournament, also played at the same course, FSU's Parker Reddig is in first with a 1-under 70 through the first round.
Sophomore Greyson Porter (+1) is tied for fourth and junior Bennett Baker (+2) is tied for sixth.
February 12, 2018
MOBILE, AL - A dominant performance on Tuesday resulted in a decisive victory for Florida State Men's Golf, shooting 30-under (280-278-276) to cruise to a 16-shot win at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate at Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course in Alabama.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis (69-67-69) tied for first with teammate and sophomore Jamie Li (68-69-68), earning his second co-championship while Li wins his first. Both student-athletes are natives of England, with Ellis being from Southampton and Li from Bath.
"Obviously when you win you are proud, but I am more proud of the guys' preparation and maturity they are developing," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "This week we competed with one freshman, three sophomores and a senior. There is no substitute for confidence and I like where we are now compared to where we were in October."
Ellis proved once again why he is one of the top amateurs in NCAA Golf, totaling 12 birdies in his three rounds of play. After finishing his second round with a 67 on Tuesday morning, he followed with mistake-free golf in the final round, totaling three birdies and 15 pars.
"Harry is the perfect team captain," Jones added. "He leads by example every day. He is vocal when the need requires and he shows how to win every week."
Li set career milestones on Tuesday, shooting a career-low 205 and also posted a pair of 68s in the first and final rounds, another personal milestone. Li's 14 total birdies throughout the tournament tied for the most among all golfers, and he cumulatively shot a 1-under on the par-3 holes.
"Jamie Li not only showed himself how good he can be, but how good he is already," Jones said.
For Jones, it was his 22nd tournament win as he continues to extend his record for wins by an FSU men's golf coach.
Two other Seminoles finished in the Top 10, as Jonathan Keppler (72-69-71) shot a 4-under 212 to tie for sixth. Talented freshman John Pak (71-74-68) carded a 3-under 213, his fourth Top 10 finish in five tournaments played at Florida State as he placed in a tie for eighth.
Tournament host South Alabama ended 16 shots back at 14-under for second place, followed by Western Kentucky (-6), Illinois State (+3) and Kennesaw State (+6) in the Top 5.
FSU combined to out-shoot all 15 opponents in par 3 (+1), par 4 (-8) and par 5 (-18) scoring.
USA Individual Tournament
Florida State had others put together fine performances in the simultaneous USA Individual Tournament held at Magnolia Grove Falls Golf Course in Mobile.
Junior Bennett Baker earned an individual title by finishing at 4-under (73-67-69) 209. He ended his final round with an eagle on the par-5, 552-yard 18th hole. Baker finished first among a 40-individual field.
Sophomore Greyson Porter (72-73-67) tied for second with a 4-under 212, while freshman Parker Reddig (70-71-72) made an impressive debut with an even-par 213 to tie for fourth.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Harry Ellis 1t 69 67 69 205 Jamie Li 1t 68 69 68 205 Jonathan Keppler 6t 72 69 71 212 John Pak 8t 71 74 68 213 Jake Carter 27t 75 73 72 220
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Bennett Baker * 1 73 67 69 209 Greyson Porter * 2t 72 73 67 212 Parker Reddig * 4t 70 71 72 213
No. 20 Noles Lead Seminole Intercollegiate Through Two Rounds.
Sophomore Jamie Li is the tournament leader at 7-under, while four Seminoles are in
the Top 10.
February 24, 2018
TALLAHASSEE, FL - A tremendous second-round turnaround punctuated No. 20 Florida State Men's Golf's day at the Seminole Intercollegiate held at Golden Eagle Country Club. FSU is in first place through two rounds at 19-under (287-270), eight strokes ahead of second-place Jacksonville.
Sophomore Jamie Li is continuing his torrid start to the spring, shooting a career-low 66 in the second round to end the day as the tournament leader at 7-under (71-66). Playing a par-5 hole on eight occasions on Saturday, Li shot under par on four of the eight long holes, including an eagle on the 527-yard 15th hole in the second round.
The Bath, England, native finished with a flurry in the second round, carding a 32 on the back nine which ended with a birdie on the 532-yard 18th hole. His 7-under score of 137 is tied for the fifth-lowest two-round score in program history.
Li is coming off a co-title with teammate Harry Ellis at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate, and is looking to capture another crown on Sunday.
Freshman John Pak keeps defying his age, joining Li with a 66 in the second round to finish 6-under (72-66). The Scotch Plains, N.J., native totaled eight birdies in the second round and nearly tied his career low of 65 in what was his first collegiate tournament played at The Doc Gimmler this past fall.
Florida State's 19-under score is tied for the third-lowest vs. par through two rounds in program history.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis' 4-under 140 (72-68) is tied for sixth in the tournament field. The Southampton, England, native totaled nine birdies and tied for the fourth-lowest score on par 4 holes with a 3.90 scoring average.
Tallahassee native Bennett Baker, playing as an individual, also shot 4-under and is tied for sixth. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler is tied for 14th at 2-under.
Behind second-place Jacksonville (-11) is James Madison (-10), Arkansas State
(-4) and Cincinnati (-2) to round out the Top 5.
February 25, 2018
TALLAHASSEE, FL - With wet conditions raising scores on Sunday afternoon, it was Florida State freshman golfer John Pak who proved he could make it through the rain.
The Scotch Plains, N.J., native won the Seminole Intercollegiate by carding an 8-under 208 over the two days of the tournament played at picturesque Golden Eagle Country Club in Tallahassee. In his final round amidst the tougher conditions, he stayed the course with a 2-under 70, highlighted by his championship -winning birdie putt on the 18th hole.
"We have had some pretty good freshmen that didn't get a win when they were freshmen," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "John's ball-striking ability gives him a lot of opportunities. He has learned to be patient and that paid off this week."
Pak used three birdies to his advantage on the back nine, helping stave off second-place finishers Nacho Montero (James Madison), Albert Badosa-Soler (Nicholls State) and teammate Jamie Li.
"Coming down the stretch he knew where he was, and executed well on the two Par 5s as well as a difficult 17th hole," Jones added of Pak.
The Seminoles totaled an impressive 20-under score (287-270-287), defeating second-place Jacksonville by nine strokes. James Madison finished third, Cincinnati placed fourth and Arkansas State was fifth in the 14-team field.
FSU has now won both its spring tournaments after winning the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate on Feb. 13.
Three Seminoles finished in the Top 10, as Li tied for second with a 5-under 211 (71-66-74) while redshirt senior Harry Ellis tied for fifth with a 4-under 212 (72-68-72). For Li, it's his second consecutive Top 5 finish after earning a co-title with Ellis in Mobile. For Ellis, he now owns three Top 5 finishes in five tournaments played in the 2017-18 year.
Tallahassee native Bennett Baker tied for 15th as an individual, shooting a 1-under 215 (70-70-75), and redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler tied for 21st shooting 1-over (72-70-75).
Sunday's final result is the 15th time Florida State has finished at 20-under or lower in program history, including its fifth time at the Seminole Intercollegiate.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 1 72 66 70 208 Jamie Li 2t 71 66 74 211 Harry Ellis 5t 72 68 72 212 Bennett Baker * 15t 70 70 75 215 Jonathan Keppler 21t 72 70 75 217 Jake Carter 39t 76 76 71 223 Parker Reddig * 46t 75 78 73 226 Greyson Porter * 46t 76 73 77 226
Seminoles in Fifth at Querencia Cabo Collegiate.
Junior Bennett Baker and sophomore Jamie Li are each tied for 15th with even-par 71s in the first
round.
March 4, 2018
LOS CABOS, MEXICO - Junior Bennett Baker and sophomore Jamie Li recorded good first rounds on Sunday afternoon as 20th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf is tied for fifth at the Querencia Cabo Collegiate in Cabo, Mexico.
Florida State shot a 3-over 287 on a difficult par-71 golf course. Only top-ranked Oklahoma State (-8) and No. 13 California (-3) shot under par in a 15-team field that includes 13 teams ranked in the Golfstat Top 50.
Also in front of Florida State through the first round are 29th-ranked Arizona State (+1) and 15th-ranked Texas (+2).
Things could have gone South for Baker when he triple-bogeyed the first hole, a par-4, 426-yard layout. The hole was Baker's sixth of the day after starting on 14th. However, Baker battled back with four more birdies to close his round and totaled five on the day to shoot an even-par 71.
Li added four birdies to help combat a double bogey on the 13th hole - a par-4, 431-yard hole. Li attacked the front nine holes very well, shooting a 3-under 33 which included three birdies and six pars.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis is just behind with a 1-over 72, tying for 26th. He recorded three bogeys and two birdies, executing a par-3, 155-yard 14th hole for one stroke under.
Freshman John Pak kept things steady for the most part, getting a birdie on the same par-3 hole that Ellis took advantage of. Despite his double bogey on the fifth hole, Pak played it smart all day and generated 16 pars on an unforgiving course.
Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler's non-counting score included an 85.
Collectively, Florida State shot two strokes better than the next closest team on par 3 holes, shooting even on the day.
March 5, 2018
LOS CABOS, MEXICO - A couple of young stud golfers in sophomore Jamie Li and freshman John Pak managed to overcome the difficult course at Querencia Golf Club and shoot a pair of sub-70 rounds to lead the 20th-ranked Seminoles to fifth place through two rounds.
Li is tied for fifth at 3-under after shooting an impressive 3-under 68 in Monday's second round. The Bath, England, native has been surging through the 2017-18 year, already winning a co-title at the season-opening Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.
Li recorded five sub-par holes on Monday, including an eagle on the par-5, 539-yard 15th hole. He totaled four other birdies as well as three bogeys, moving up 10 spots today after starting the round tied for 15th.
Pak, a freshman from Scotch Plains, N.J., had the round of the day for the Seminoles with a 4-under 67. He is tied for seventh at 2-under overall, and took advantage of any opportunity given to him as he totaled seven birdies in his second round.
Pak is coming off a win at the Seminole Intercollegiate, and along with Li he is within shouting distance of leader Collin Morikawa (-9).
The Seminoles shot two strokes better on Monday and are 4-over as a team (287-285). No. 1 Oklahoma State leads the field at 10-under, while 13th-ranked California (-9) is second, followed by No. 29 Arizona State (-4), 15th-ranked Texas (+3) and FSU.
Redshirt
senior Harry Ellis matched his first round with another 1-over 72, highlighted by three birdies. Redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler improved with a 78 on Monday, while junior Bennett Baker shot an
82.
March 6, 2018
LOS CABOS, MEXICO - The 20th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf Team got a pair of Top 10 finishers at the difficult Querencia Cabo Collegiate on Tuesday. Freshman John Pak tied for seventh while sophomore Jamie Li placed ninth.
The Seminoles finished ninth overall (+17), with the final round being the most challenging day for several teams. Pak ended his tournament shooting a 2-over 73 and shot a 2-under 211 overall, his sixth Top 10 finish in seven tournaments played. Pak has quickly emerged as not just one of the best freshman golfers nationally, but toward the upper echelon of top collegiate golfers.
Pak made good on four birdies in his final round. His average score of 2.92 throughout the tournament on par 3s was tied for the fourth-lowest among all golfers.
Li continues his extraordinary run with a ninth-place finish at one of the "Who's Who" tournaments in collegiate golf. His final round 73 included minimal mistakes when compared to many other golfers whose scores shot upward. Li added a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole in addition to a bogey and a double bogey.
Li has three consecutive Top 10 runs, winning a co-title at the spring-opening Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate and finishing runner-up at the Seminole Intercollegiate at Golden Eagle Country Club. His best finish in the 2016-17 season was tying for 18th as a freshman.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis, who will make his debut at The Masters as an amateur in just under a month, tied for 36th at 6-over (219). Junior Bennett Baker finished 70th and redshirt sophomore Jonathan Keppler was 80th.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 7t 73 67 71 211 Jamie Li 9 71 68 73 212 Harry Ellis 36t 72 72 75 219 Bennett Baker 70 71 82 78 231 Jonathan Keppler 80 85 78 85 248
Pak Earns Top-5 Finish at Southern Intercollegiate.
Freshman John Pak ties for fourth at 1-under while the Seminoles place fifth in the 18-team
field at Athens Country Club.
ATHENS, GA - A second and final-round 69 (-3) elevated Florida State Men's Golf freshman John Pak to a Top-5 finish on Monday at the Southern Intercollegiate, tying for fourth with a 1-under 143 (74-69).
Pak earned his third Top-5 finish of the year on Monday at Athens Country Club, using five birdies to his advantage in his final round to climb up 12 spots from 16th to fourth place. The Southern Intercollegiate consists of just two rounds and is an all-day event.
His second-round 69 included birdies on three of his first seven holes on the back nine. Three of his five sub-par holes were par 4s, while the other two were par 5s. He shaved five strokes from his first-round 74.
Florida State shot an 8-over 592 (296-296), placing fifth among the 18-team field. FSU, which was ranked 19th, finished behind first-place Arkansas (-9), Kennesaw State (+8), tournament host Georgia (+8) and Lipscomb (+12).
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis tied for 16th with a 3-over 147 (72-75). Sophomore Greyson Porter had a solid showing, tying for 24th with a 6-over 150 (74-76). Freshman Parker Reddig tied for 36th at 8-over, while sophomore Jamie Li shot 12-over.
With the help of Pak, Florida State shot just 5-over on par 4 holes, the lowest among any team. Ellis was 2-under on the day in par 4 holes.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 4t 74 69 143 Harry Ellis 16t 72 75 147 Greyson Porter 24t 74 76 150 Parker Reddig 36t 76 76 152 Jamie Li 57t 77 79 156
Men's Golf Tied for Fifth at Valspar Collegiate.
Freshman John Pak is tied for sixth at 2-under to lead 23rd-ranked Florida State through the
first round.
March 18, 2018
PALM CITY, FL - Freshman John Pak put together another quality round on Sunday afternoon, shooting a 2-under 69 as the 23rd-ranked Florida State Men's Golf team is tied for fifth through the first round at the Valspar Collegiate held at Floridian Golf Club in Palm City, Fla.
The Seminoles collectively shot 2-over (286) at one of collegiate golf's toughest tournaments which features 13 teams ranked in the top 37 by Golfstat. Top-ranked Oklahoma State (-7) leads the field, followed by second-ranked Texas A&M (-3), Wake Forest (-1), Baylor (even) and Duke (+2) and FSU (+2).
Pak is tied for sixth after his fine round, carding four birdies and just two bogeys on a difficult course. He set the tone for his day by opening the 10th hole with a birdie, a par-4, 401-yard hole. It was Pak's 18th round this year played at par or better.
Two sophomores in Jake Carter and Jamie Li put together impressive scores at 1-over apiece. Carter had a steady showing with one birdie and two bogeys on the day. His lone sub-par hole was a birdie on the par-3 second hole, which was 211 yards out.
Li's round was more eventful, getting three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. He recorded back-to-back birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to help get his round going.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis is tied for 36th at 2-over, while junior Bennett Baker is tied for 68th at 6-over.
March 19, 2018
PALM CITY, FL – Freshman John Pak shot a 69 for the second straight day as No. 23 Florida State Men’s Golf worked its way up the leaderboard, tying for third through two rounds at the Valspar Collegiate at Floridian Golf Club in Palm City, Fla.
Pak is tied for sixth at 4-under, continuing to merit his Top 25 individual ranking by Golfstat. He capitalized off the back nine on Monday with three birdies, with two coming on par 4 holes while one was on a 529-yard par 5 hole. The Scotch Plains, N.J., native is six shots back of leader Viktor Hovland (-10) of Oklahoma State.
On a difficult golf course, Pak continues to play it safe with 26 pars through the first two rounds, tying for the fourth-most among all players. His 3-under total on par 4 holes is also tied for third.
FSU shot a collective 278 on Monday, eight strokes less than Sunday’s first round.
Sophomore Jamie Li also shot a 2-under 69, and is tied for 13th overall. Sophomore Jake Carter used three front-nine birdies to shoot an even-par 71. He is tied for 25th at 1-over, providing FSU a nice boost among its counting scores.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis shot a 1-over 72 on Monday and is tied for 40th at 3-over.
Oklahoma State continues to lead the tournament at 17-under, while Baylor (-5) is the only other team in front
of the Seminoles. FSU is tied with Texas A&M.
March 20, 2018
PALM CITY, FL – With the wind blowing over 20 miles per hour at Floridian Golf Club on Tuesday, the 23rd-ranked Florida State Men's Golf team persevered and shot the low round of the day en route to a second-place finish at the Valspar Collegiate in Palm City, Fla.
FSU's combined 281 (-3) on Tuesday was arguably its most impressive round of the year, climbing one spot up the leaderboard to finish only behind top-ranked Oklahoma State (-12). The Seminoles shot a 7-under 845 (286-278-281) overall, with freshman John Pak once again being the catalyst.
In the windy conditions, Pak posted his best round of the tournament with a 5-under 66, finishing second overall with a 9-under 204. The top-notch freshman strung together seven birdies, boosted by his opening-hole 3 on a par-4, 441-yard hole. He shot a 32 on the front nine and ended with a 34 on the back nine.
"John Pak is putting together a great freshman season," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "He keeps learning and getting better. The final round 66 in a 20-plus miles per hour wind is one of the best rounds I have coached."
Pak's 66 ties for his second-lowest round of the season, only eclipsed by his final-round 65 at his first tournament played at The Doc Gimmler.
Sophomore Jake Carter was also impressive over the three rounds played, shooting an even-par 71 on Tuesday and tying for 18th with a 1-over 214. Highlighting his final round was an eagle on the par-5, 529-yard 13th hole.
After recording a 69 in the second round, junior Bennett Baker finished strong with a 1-under 70 in the third round. The Tallahassee native tied for 27th shooting 3-over for the tournament, using a solid 34 on the front nine to bolster his score on Tuesday.
"Jake and Bennett took a big step forward this week," Jones added. "This should give them needed confidence to build on. You don't shoot those scores and play the way they did and not be really talented."
Sophomore Jamie Li tied for 31st shooting 4-over, while redshirt senior Harry Ellis tied for 38th at 6-over.
Tuesday's round was Ellis' last with the Seminoles before competing as an Amateur Champion at The Masters (April 5-8). Prior to playing at The Masters, Ellis will compete head-to-head with the United States Amateur Champion Doc Redman in the Georgia Cup held Sunday, March 25, at the Golf Club of Georgia in Atlanta.
Following his stint at The Masters, he will resume play with Florida State to finish his collegiate career.
After Tuesday's performance, Jones came away happy with how his team responded due to the elements they were forced to play against.
"We are definitely growing as a team and moving in the right direction," Jones said. "We didn't handle the wind very well in Cabo as a team, played a tougher course in more wind today and had the low round of the day in a great field."
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 2 69 69 66 204 Jake Carter 18t 72 71 71 214 Bennett Baker 27t 77 69 70 216 Jamie Li 31t 72 69 76 217 Harry Ellis 38t 73 72 74 219
Baker's 66 Leads Noles to Third at Gary Koch Invitational.
Junior Bennett Baker ties career low with a strong second round and is tied for sixth
at 5-under through two rounds.
April 9, 2018
GASTONIA, NC - A bounce-back effort aided the 17th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf team to a good finish to the day at the Gary Koch Invitational at Gaston Country Club. FSU shot 11-under collectively in the second round to move up four spots to third place on Monday afternoon.
Junior Bennett Baker shot a season-low 66 in the second round, sitting at 5-under overall and tied for sixth with one round left to play on Tuesday. The Tallahassee native seized control of his second round with seven birdies, including three straight on holes 17, 18 and 1.
Baker's 66 matches the score he produced in his FSU debut as a freshman in 2015 in the first round of the Fighting Illini/Olympia Fields Invitational. He helped the Seminoles shave 18 strokes from their first-round 295 (+7) by going lower with a 277 (-11).
"I'm not sure why we came out slow but making 10 birdies in the first round showed a lack of execution," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "We talk about getting better as the day goes on and we certainly did that. I am proud of the way we competed and look forward to another challenge tomorrow."
Sophomore Jamie Li is tied for 10th after shooting 4-under through two rounds (72-68). His second-round 68 marks the seventh time this year he has shot in the 60s, generating five birdies to just one bogey, which came on his second hole of the day at the par-3 11th. Li finished the day reaching par on eight straight holes before recording a birdie on the par-4 ninth, a 436-yard hole.
Sophomore Jake Carter was sharp at 2-over (75-71), recording an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole that is 511 yards long. Junior Corey Carlson made his debut this year and shot 3-over, tying for 37th.
Individually, sophomore Greyson Porter is tied for 31st at 2-over. He also recorded an eagle, but at the par-5 13th hole that is 532 yards.
No. 11 Auburn has a sizeable lead at 27-under, while tournament host and 28th-ranked
Kentucky is second at 21-under.
April 10, 2018
GASTONIA, NC - Junior men's golfer and Tallahassee native Bennett Baker recorded one of his best showings of the season by finishing tied for sixth at 6-under at the Gary Koch Invitational held at Gaston Country Club in Gastonia, N.C.
Baker shot a final-round 71 (73-66-71) in what was a very eventful round filled with seven birdies to go with three bogeys and a double bogey. Baker was brilliant on holes 12-15, producing four consecutive birdies to highlight his back-nine charge. His 16 total birdies in three rounds of play was tied for the third-most of any player.
Baker's sixth-place showing is his third Top 10 finish of the year. He started his fall by tying for 10th at The Doc Gimmler, then began his spring by winning the USA Individual Tournament with a 4-under 209.
"Bennett continues to gain confidence and put himself in learning opportunities," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "He is making birdies and putting pressure on the course. Making four birdies in a row in a final round tells me he is competing and executing at the same time."
Executing on par-3 holes was a big help for the Chiles High School product. He shot 3-under overall on the short holes, tying for the lowest score in the tournament.
Florida State finished fourth overall (295-277-286), shooting 6-under over the three rounds and 2-under in Tuesday's final round. No. 28 and tournament host Kentucky won the Gary Koch Invitational at 35-under, followed by No. 11 Auburn (-31) and 34th-ranked Ole Miss (-11).
Sophomore Jamie Li placed 18th after finishing 2-under (72-68-74). A triple bogey on his third hole hurt his early scoring, but he battled back with three birdies and prevented his round from getting out of hand.
Junior Corey Carlson had the low final-round score with a 2-under 70 on Tuesday, finishing tied for 26th at 1-over. Carlson started hot with three birdies in his first four holes, and despite three straight bogeys on the back nine, he ended with one final birdie on the par-5, 515-yard 18th hole.
Freshman John Pak climbed his way back into the counting scores by shooting a 1-under 71 on Tuesday. Pak tied for 42nd at 6-over but left the tournament garnering his 21st round at par or better this year.
Sophomores Jake Carter and Greyson Porter, whom competed individually, tied for 46th at 7-over.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Bennett Baker 6t 73 66 71 210 Jamie Li 18t 72 68 74 214 Corey Carlson 26t 75 72 70 217 John Pak 42t 78 73 71 222 Greyson Porter * 46t 75 71 77 223 Jake Carter 46t 75 71 77 223
Baker Sizzles in First Round of the ACC Championship.
Junior Bennett Baker fires an opening-round 68 as 20th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf sits
at fifth (-6) at the ACC Championship.
April 20, 2018
NEW LONDON, NC - Junior Bennett Baker fired an opening-round 68 to lead the fifth-place Florida State Men's Golf team through the first round of the ACC Championship held on Friday at Old North State Club in New London, N.C.
Baker, a Tallahassee native from Chiles High School, delivered along with the other upperclassmen for the Seminoles. Junior Corey Carlson, who has been out for most of the year with an injury, recorded a 2-under 70 (T18) while redshirt senior Harry Ellis was the other Seminole under par at 1-under (T23).
"Today is another example that we are moving in the right direction," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "Corey was first off for us and was never over par. Bennett has a great mindset for competitive golf - he enjoys the moment and isn't going to back down. Opening with a 68 will validate his progression.
"Harry hung in and needs to get some positive thoughts as the week progresses."
Baker was coming off his second-best finish of the year when he tied for sixth at the Gary Koch Invitational. He picked up where he left off on Friday, currently tied for ninth in the field after delivering a team-high six birdies. Two of his six birdies came on par 3 holes, and his only error in the opening round was his double bogey on the par-3, 197-yard 17th hole.
For Baker, his 4-under 68 is his lowest opening-round score vs. par this year.
Carlson's performance was just as impressive, getting Florida State started with two birdies on the front nine, followed by two more on the back. The Green Cove Springs, Fla., native was consistent on both the front and back nine, shooting a pair of 35s.
Ellis endured a tough stretch on the front nine where he bogeyed three of his first six holes. However, the defending Amateur Champion carded a 33 on the back nine, courtesy of four big birdies to end his round on a high note and become the third Seminole under par.
Sophomore Jamie Li and freshman John Pak are each tied for 31st at 1-over, and are capable of leading the way for the Seminoles in Saturday's second round.
FSU is only six strokes behind first-round leader Georgia Tech (-12). Notre Dame (-11) is just one off in second place, followed by Clemson (-9), Wake Forest (-7) and FSU (-6). Nine of the 12 ACC teams in the field shot under par for the day.
Florida State's 22 cumulative birdies is the most of any team so far.
April 21, 2018
NEW LONDON, NC - Low scores are everywhere at the ACC Men's Golf Championship, and the 20th-ranked Florida State Men's Golf team is doing its best to keep up. Despite shooting 4-under collectively on Saturday, FSU fell three spots and is tied for eighth at 10-under (282-284) through two rounds at Old North State Club.
Conference leader and fifth-ranked Georgia Tech leads the field at 23-under, followed by No. 15 Clemson (-17) and Notre Dame (-17), No. 29 Duke (-14) and Virginia (-14), No. 18 North Carolina (-13), No. 27 Wake Forest (-12) and FSU (-10) along with 36th-ranked NC State (-10) are tied for eighth.
Virginia Tech (+2), Boston College (+2) and No. 45 Louisville (+4) round out the bottom.
"We have an opportunity to do something special tomorrow," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "I believe in them and they have the ability. We have made 40 birdies and are just 10-under. Obviously we have some stuff to clean up."
Junior Bennett Baker continues to lead the Seminoles, sitting tied for eighth at 6-under after shooting a 70 in the second round. The Tallahassee native, who recorded a 68 in the opening round, was consistent with 35s on the front and back nine. He minimized his mistakes with just a pair of bogeys compared to four birdies.
Baker leads FSU with 10 birdies through the first two rounds.
Freshman John Pak had the round of the day for the Seminoles, recording a 3-under 69. Pak and junior Corey Carlson are each tied for 24th at 2-under. A solid back-nine performance for Pak where he recorded two birdies and no above-par holes aided his low score.
Carlson shot an even-par 72 on Saturday, battling back from consecutive bogeys to begin play and recording four birdies. Carlson took advantage of a few par 5 holes, including one on the 11th hole that was 558 yards in length.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis shot 1-over for the day and is tied for 32nd at even par. He was hurt on that par-5 11th hole, recording a double-bogey seven. But the senior leader recovered with a birdie on the next hole, a par-4, 361-yarder, and finished with another birdie on the par-5 18th.
Sophomore Jamie Li is tied for 32nd at even par.
Baker is six strokes behind ACC Championship leader Thomas Walsh of Virginia, who
is 12-under overall.
April 22, 2018
NEW LONDON, NC - Junior Florida State Men's golfer and Tallahassee native Bennett Baker finalized his stellar three-day performance at the ACC Men's Golf Championship by tying for eighth on Sunday. Baker carded a final-round 69 and finished 9-under overall at the Old North State Club in New London, N.C.
The Seminoles ended their stay in North Carolina by placing ninth, shooting 16-under over their three rounds (282-284-282).
Baker ties for eighth for the second straight year at the ACC Men's Golf Championship, doing so as a sophomore last year when he carded a 2-under 214 at Musgrove Mill Golf Club in Clinton, S.C. He went even lower this year, as did the rest of the field, totaling a 9-under 207.
Baker's final round was punctuated by his eighth career eagle on the 389-yard par-4 13th hole. The Chiles High School product holed out from 93 yards, marking his team-leading fourth of the season, and he moves up into a tie for ninth on the FSU career list with former players Doug Letson (2009-13) and Kris Hannah (1997-01).
The junior and his teammates started on the back nine on Sunday, and Baker had an eventful first four holes with a bogey followed by two straight birdies and the eagle. Baker garnered his fourth Top 10 finish of the year and his second straight after tying for sixth at the Gary Koch Invitational in his last tournament played.
For the second straight day, freshman John Pak had the low round of the day for the Seminoles with a 5-under 67. Pak tied for 17th overall with a 7-under 209, bolstered by an eagle of his own on the 427-yard, par-4 16th hole. In addition to his second eagle of the year, Pak added five birdies on the afternoon.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis tied for 30th with an even-par 216. He picked up four birdies on Sunday, while sophomore Jamie Li finished tied for 48th at 5-over. Junior Corey Carlson tied for 52nd at 7-over.
Fifth-ranked Georgia Tech (-29) edged No. 15 Clemson (-27) to win the ACC Championship. Virginia's Thomas Walsh won the player title with a 16-under 200.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== Bennett Baker 8t 68 70 69 207 John Pak 17t 73 69 67 209 Harry Ellis 30t 71 73 72 216 Jamie Li 48t 73 74 74 221 Corey Carlson 52t 70 72 81 223
Men's Golf Tied for Sixth Through Opening Regional Round.
Fourth-seeded Florida State is just three shots back of getting the needed Top 5 spot to
advance to the NCAA Championship Finals.
May 14, 2018
NORMAN, OK - The whipping winds of the Sooner State were expected, and they came with plenty of force in the first round of the NCAA Golf Norman Regional at Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in Norman, Okla.
The fourth-seeded Florida State Men's Golf team battled its way to a 5-over 293 on the day, ending the first round tied for sixth with two more rounds left to play on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Top 5 teams of the 14-team Norman Regional advance to the N "We pride ourselves in getting better as the round and week progresses," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "We will be ready for tomorrow."
The post-season experience of junior Corey Carlson paid dividends for the Seminoles. The Green Cove Springs, Fla., native is tied for 16th at even par, managing to record three birdies opposite of three bogeys. He took advantage of two of the course's f Carlson, along the rest of the Seminoles, began the day on the par-4, 322-yard 10th hole. He shot a 35 on the back nine, recording pars in his first eight holes before going under par on the 586-yard 18th. He finished with a 37 on the front nine.
Freshman John Pak's even-par showing was also big for FSU, as he stepped up mightily in his first taste of NCAA post-season action. The ACC Freshman of the Year birdied a difficult par-3, 260-yard hole on the 15th to highlight his round. Sitting at 1-ov Junior Bennett Baker mustered a 2-over 74 on Monday, sitting tied for 28th. The Tallahassee native and Chiles High School product finished his round in style by recording a birdie on the 435-yard ninth hole to elevate Florida State a spot higher in the The challenge of the course conditions was evident in that host Oklahoma (-5) was the only team to shoot under par as it leads the field. Auburn, Arkansas and UNF are tied for second at even-par, followed by San Diego State (+2) in fifth.
UMKC is tied with FSU in sixth at 5-over, followed by Nevada (+6) in eighth, Pepperdine (+7) and BYU (+7) tied for ninth, Virginia (+9) in 11th, Sam Houston State (+13), Prairie View A&M (+27) and Navy (+33).
Sophomore Jamie Li is tied for 36th at 3-over, scoring a birdie on Hole No. 1 which proved to be the toughest hole of the day at 472 yards (par 4). Fifteen of the 18 holes played were over par on average by the field.
Redshirt senior Harry Ellis is tied for
64th at 7-over.
May 15, 2018
NORMAN, OK - Scores trended in the right direction for the fourth-seeded and 22nd-ranked Florida State Men's Golf team on Tuesday, shooting 4-under to put itself in sixth place through two rounds at the NCAA Golf Norman Regional in Norman, Okla.
Teeing off once again on the 10th hole, the Seminoles clobbered holes 1-9 to end their round emphatically. FSU's five golfers combined to shoot 7-under on their final nine holes, led once again by the above-and-beyond play of freshman John Pak.
Pak shot a 2-under 34 on holes 1-9 and carded a 2-under 70 in the second round - FSU's low round of the day. The ACC Freshman of the Year recorded just one bogey and added three birdies to benefit his day. As one of two Seminoles under par overall, his "We played a solid round of golf today," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "All five guys at even par or better is always good. We have some work to do but we have prepared for this all season."
In order to qualify for their seventh straight NCAA Championship Finals appearance, the Seminoles will have to make up a little ground in Wednesday's final round. Tenth-ranked Auburn (-3) and No. 39 BYU (-3) currently hold the final two spots with a fou No. 27 UNF is currently third at 5-under, while No. 33 Pepperdine is second at 7-under and No. 3-ranked Oklahoma is first at 9-under.
Junior Corey Carlson shot a 1-under 71 on Tuesday, which included going 2-under over his final eight holes. The Green Cove Springs, Fla., native is the other Seminole under par, sitting at 1-under.
Scorching hot to end the day was junior Bennett Baker, who recorded five birdies over his final eight holes. The Tallahassee native had a stretch where he birdied three consecutive holes and four in a five-hole span. After shooting a 39 on his first nin Redshirt senior Harry Ellis bounced back with a counting score on Tuesday, dropping a 1-under 71. The native of England had a big eagle, his third of the season, on the par-5, 627-yard fifth hole to give his team an enormous boost.
Sophomore Jamie Li, a fellow Englishmen, improved by three strokes in the second round with an even-par 72.
Florida State has put together the lowest par 3 scoring average in the tournament at 3.08. In 20 par 3 holes played collectively on Tuesday, FSU strung together
five birdies, just one bogey and 14 pars.
May 16, 2018
NORMAN, OK - A climactic finish to the Norman NCAA Men's Golf Regional did not fall in Florida State Men's Golf's favor on Wednesday afternoon. The fourth-seeded Seminoles had their impressive six-year NCAA Championship Finals appearance streak snapped by just one stroke at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club.
Florida State finished with a 2-under 862 over its three rounds and jockeyed back and forth between 15th-ranked Arkansas, 46th-ranked Virginia, 10th-ranked Auburn and No. 33 Pepperdine over the final nine holes. A crucial birdie by freshman John Pak on his second-to-last hole had FSU up by a stroke at 2-under and hanging onto the fifth spot, but the Razorbacks surged ahead after four of their five golfers made birdies on the same eighth hole - a par 5, 600-yarder.
With Arkansas clinging to a 1-stroke lead over FSU for the final fifth spot, it came down to Alvaro Ortiz's approach on the final par-4, 435-yard ninth hole. Ortiz would par the hole to put an end to FSU's run.
"We played some good golf this week," FSU head coach Trey Jones said. "All Seminoles should be very proud of these guys. They represent us in a first-class way every day. I am proud to be their coach."
Wednesday effectively ended the celebrated career of redshirt senior Harry Ellis, who prepares for the upcoming U.S. Open as an amateur on June 14-17. The England native concludes his career with a final year that included his first two wins as a Seminole, enjoying a remarkable turn-around in five years' time to become an All-American.
Once again, Pak proved to be up to the test in what was easily defined as pressure golf. He led the Seminoles with five birdies, including his big one on the eighth hole, and tied for seventh overall at 5-under. With just one golfer from a non-qualifying team advancing to the NCAA Championship Finals, Pak was one stroke behind only Pepperdine's Joshua McCarthy.
Sophomore Jamie Li's breakthrough year was a highlight to FSU's strong season. He tied for 26th at 1-over and shot a 2-under 70 on Wednesday, going bogey-free with two birdies as well.
Junior Bennett Baker capped another good year by tying for 33rd at 3-over, shooting a 1-over 73 in the final round. He birdied the par-4, 435-yard seventh hole that gave FSU a chance at advancing.
Junior Corey Carlson tied for 44th at 6-over, while Ellis tied for 47th at 7-over.
The Seminoles rode a strong back-nine performance which included shooting 5-under collectively among counting scores. But unlike Tuesday's smooth trek through the front nine, FSU had its difficulties with four birdies to seven bogeys among the counting scores.
Nonetheless, FSU put itself in a winning position when it finished the round. The problem was Arkansas had more holes remaining and capitalized on its chances, especially with a par-5 among the final holes.
Tournament host Oklahoma won its regional at 14-under, followed by BYU (-13) and UNF (-13). Auburn (-3) and Arkansas (-3) round out the five advancing clubs.
With Ellis being the team's lone senior, the future of Florida State Men's Golf continues to shine bright - especially with a dominant young talent like Pak to build around.
Name Place Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Total ========================= ===== ==== ==== ==== ===== John Pak 7t 72 70 69 211 Jamie Li 26t 75 72 70 217 Bennett Baker 33t 74 72 73 219 Corey Carlson 44t 72 71 79 222 Harry Ellis 47t 79 71 73 223