There’s a new face hanging around the Florida men’s golf team.
That face is of freshman Alejandro Tosti, who joined the team in January once the spring semester started.
The Argentine came into the program as one of the best players from his country. And it didn’t take him long to make an impression on coach J.C. Deacon.
"He’s one of the best players that I’ve ever seen at this age," Deacon said. "He’s 18 years old and he is a stud. There’s no question about it…he’s a phenomenal talent, I can’t wait to watch (him)."
After being on the UF team for less than two weeks, Tosti had the chance to compete in the Latin America Amateur Championships in Buenos Aires with a spot to play in The Masters Tournament on the line.
Tosti finished in second place in the tournament with a score of 10-under-par, one shot behind Chile’s Matias Dominguez. Deacon said the second place finish hurt Tosti a little, but Deacon knows what his golf game brings to the team.
"He’s got it all," Deacon said. "He hits it long, he controls his trajectory and spin. He’s got a great short game, he’s a good putter and he’s a hard-nosed competitor.
"He brings it every day, he wants to win, he wants to beat you and that’s what really this team needed the most."
Tosti wouldn’t be the first freshman to make an impact on the team in Deacon’s first year as coach.
Freshman Ryan Celano was able to contribute to the team right away and it showed in his performances in the fall. Celano won the qualifying leading up to the second tournament in the fall and he parlayed that performance in a tie for sixth place at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate.
In the qualifying rounds leading up to the Sea Best Invitational, Tosti and Celano went to a playoff to decide who would win the qualifying. Celano ultimately beat Tosti by one stroke to secure the No. 1 spot heading into the first tournament of the spring.
With two talented freshmen on the roster in Tosti and Celano, Deacon feels that the program has the chance to really grow while they are at Florida.
"Florida golf is looking pretty bright in the hands of those two guys," Deacon said. "The future looks really good, they’re both 18 years old, they both have a ton of room to grow, but at this point they’re competitive on a national basis."
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
UF men's golf coach J.C. Deacon speaks during a press conference in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Led by first-year head coach JC Deacon, the Florida men's golf team returned to the NCAA Championship last season. Here's Ryan Summer's story on the occasion (http://www.alligator.org/sports/golf/article_982fe4ae-fdf2-11e4-833b-83c78d3e0d3f.html)
