When asked what his team needed to improve on last week, men’s golf coach JC Deacon said, "It’s going to sound crazy … but it’s nothing.
"We’re a great team. I truly believe that in my heart. And I know the results are going to come."
He was right.
Four of five UF golfers placed in the top ten at the Jerry Pate National at the par-70 Old Overton Club in Birmingham, Alabama.
Freshman Sam Horsfield led the way for the Gators, tying for fourth and finishing the tournament at 5-under par.
The tournament marks his second top five finish in just his third competition as a Gator.
Freshmen Kyler Tate and Jorge Garcia, along with sophomore Alejandro Tosti, all tied for sixth place at 2-under.
Garcia, who Deacon had previously singled out for letting frustration get the best of him, shot a 5-over 75 in round one, but bounced back to post the Gators’ best individual round of the weekend, shooting a 6-under 64 in the second round.
"A week ago, I was probably harder on Jorge than I’ve been on about any player in my coaching career," Deacon said in a release.
"All of his focus was on having a good attitude and being determined, and then he goes and shoots 64.
"We’re really going to be able to win with people like him," Deacon said of Garcia.
Junior Ryan Orr finished right behind the other Gators.
Despite heading into the final day tied for 29th, Orr shot a 3-under 67 on Tuesday, moving up 13 spots and tying for 16th place at 1-over.
As a team, UF finished in second place, behind only tournament-host Alabama. Florida finished ahead of rivals No. 3 Auburn and No. 5 Florida State, which took third and fourth place, respectively.
"Today was our best day of the year, for sure," Deacon said.
"We had all five guys on the same page — playing hard, staying patient and staying focused — and that was what enabled us to finish the round off.
"There was a lot of pressure and a lot of hard holes down the stretch, and these guys all kept their emotions in check and played well to finish second in a very strong field."
While the men’s team was in Alabama, coach Emily Glaser and the women’s golf team traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to play in the Windy City Collegiate Championships.
Sophomore Taylor Tomlinson had No. 18 Florida’s best individual finish, tying for 19th place at 1-under at the par-72 Westmoreland Country Club.
"It wasn’t anything special this week," Tomlinson said in a release.
"I felt I had some good moments and some bad ones, but my putting was solid and I make what I had work. I think the team as a whole did well grinding it out today."
Junior Karolina Vlckova tied for 39th at 3-over, followed by freshman Sam Wagner and junior Kelly Grassel, who both tied for 41st at 4-over.
Overall, the Gators finished in eighth place out of 15 teams. Tournament-host No. 6 Northwestern, No. 3 Arizona and No. 5 Georgia tied for first place to become three-way champions.
"We played solid today," Glaser said in a release.
"I think each player had a few miscues that kept us from having a great round, but that’s golf."
Despite finishing below expectations, Glaser is happy to see what this tournament does for the team moving forward.
"It was a great experience to get a look at some bent grass greens, something we will see later in the year and need to be prepared for," Glaser said.
"We also made some nice adjustments since the Knoxville tournament, but we’re heading home knowing there is more work to do."
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Alejandro Tosti putts during the 2015 SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 14.
