Oct. 21, 2003
TAMPA, Fla. – Georgia Tech freshman golfer Roberto Castro’s final-round score of 2-under-par, 70, led a trio of Yellow Jackets in the top 10 to help pace Tech to its first team title since 2002 at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate in Tampa, Fla. The 54-hole tournament was contested at the par-72, 7,036-yard Old Memorial Golf Club.
The Jackets dominated from the opening round, finishing as the only team in the field to record three sub-par rounds, including a final-round score of 1-under-par, 287. That was part of a 54-hole total of 22-under-par, 272-283-287-842, which was 15 shots better than top-ranked Florida, which finished alone in second place at 7-under-par, 276-292-289-857. Tech’s tournament score of 842 ties the 10th-best 54-hole score in school history and gave the Jackets their first team crown since a tie for first at the NCAA East Regional in 2002.
Castro was the top individual performer for the Yellow Jackets, as he carded three sub-par rounds of his own, including the final-round 70, to finish play in the event at 8-under-par, 68-70-70-208. That score was three shots behind individual medalist Matt Every of Florida, who notched a closing-round score of 6-under-par, 66, to finish at 11-under-par, 69-70-66-205.
Junior Nicholas Thompson was the next Tech player in the top 10, as he finished in a tie for sixth place at 5-under-par, 67-69-75-211. Rookie Kevin Larsen was the third member of the Yellow Jacket trio in the top 10, as he recorded the first top-10 finish of his career with a tie for ninth place at 3-under-par, 67-70-76-213.
The top round of the day for the Tech came from junior Chan Wongluekiet, who carded a 3-under-par, 69, on Tuesday to finish tied for 16th with an even-par score of 70-77-69-216. Sophomore Thomas Jordan was the final member of the Yellow Jacket contingent, finishing among four players in 23rd place at 3-over-par, 72-74-73-219.
Georgia Tech will now have two weeks off before returning to action on Nov. 7-9 at the Hooters Collegiate Match Play Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Full tournament results from the Gary Koch Intercollegiate are available at www.gatorzone.com.
FINAL TEAM RESULTS1 Georgia Tech 272 283 287 8422 Florida 276 292 289 8573 TCU 281 289 290 8604 Arkansas 282 285 296 8635 Kentucky 285 291 291 8676 Georgia State 289 285 298 8727 Louisiana State 283 287 307 8778 UCF 294 294 298 8869 Florida State 292 291 304 88710 NC State 293 289 307 88911 North Florida 299 293 298 89012 So. Florida 296 290 309 895 Alabama, U 295 298 302 89514 Coll. of Charleston 283 304 309 89615 Mississippi 295 297 306 898
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS 1 Matt Every Florida 69 70 66 205 2 Roberto Castro Ga. Tech 68 70 70 208 3 Fernando Mechereffe NC State 69 67 73 209 Adam Meyer TCU 68 69 72 209 John Assey Charleston 67 68 74 209 6 Seth Murphy Arkansas 71 67 73 211 Nicholas Thompson Ga. Tech 67 69 75 211 8 Colby Beckstrom TCU 66 74 72 212 9 Heath West LSU 68 72 73 213 Mark Blakefield Kentucky 67 75 71 213 Kevin Larsen Ga. Tech 67 70 76 213
REMAINING GEORGIA TECH INDIVIDUALS T 16 Chan Wongluekiet 70 77 69 216 T 23 Thomas Jordan 72 74 73 219
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