Team Florida Finishes 4th

Team Florida traveled to Birmingham, Alabama for the 2016 USGA Men’s State Team Championship hosted by the Country Club of Birmingham, September 28-30. Team Florida is represented by three outstanding players;  Joe Alfieri, 2016 two year points leader, Marc Dull, 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up, and Jake Kevorkian, who earned low amateur honors at the Florida Open. Click here to read about Team Florida!

The team had an early start for the first round, making up the first three tee times on Wednesday morning. Marc Dull led the team after carding a steady three birdies and three bogeys for an even-par 71. Joe Alfieri fought to a two over-par 73, and combined with Dull’s 71, Team Florida posted a 144 (+2) total for round one. This put the team four strokes back from the three teams tied for first; Ohio, Texas, Missouri, and Connecticut.

Windy conditions challenged the players in round two, but Team Florida played consistent golf. After a disappointing first round, Kevorkian came back and started the second round strong with three birdies on the front nine to make the turn at two under-par (33). Jake fell to two double-bogeys on the back nine but finished with a birdie on the 15th hole for a one over-par 72. Meanwhile, Alfieri overcame a double-bogey on the second hole by ending the day with five birdies for an even-par 71. Dull posted a 75 and Team Florida counted a 72-71 for a 143 day two total and 287 (+3) tournament total. Team Connecticut (140-141—281) stood at the top while Florida would head into the final round six strokes back, tied with Texas in ninth place.
 
The final round started with cooler temperatures in the mid 50’s. Kevorkian got off to a rough start with a triple-bogey on the first hole but fought back on the final nine holes with a total of five birdies en route to a two over-par 73. Dull played a back and forth final round alternating between bogeys and birdies for an even par finish. Alfieri broke through and posted the only red number for Team Florida. He started the round on the right track with a birdie on the first hole and after a double bogey on hole 16, finished strong with back-to-back birdies! Five birdies led Alfieri to a one under-par 70 final round. Florida captured fourth place with an improved 141 third round total and 428 (+2) Championship total.

The USGA Men’s State Team Championship is a biannual competition between all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The Championship consists of 54 holes of stroke play, counting the lowest two out of three scores as the team total for each round. Since the Championship began in 1995, Florida has finished runner-up three times, including two years prior in 2014.

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