Men's Golf

Jaguars Go Back-To-Back

Freshman Taylor Floyd sparks ASU, claims first collegiate victory

Web Posted 4/5/09

M Golf AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Augusta State fired an 11-under 277 Sunday and claimed a 13-shot victory in the 31st annual Administaff Augusta State Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club.

The tournament title marked the second win in six days for the Jaguars, who were coming a six-shot victory last Tuesday in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate at Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, S.C.

The win also gave ASU its first back-to-back victories since the 2002-03 season, when the Jags won four straight events en route to the top season in school history and a No. 2 national ranking. The tourney title was the seventh for ASU in the last 10 years of the event.

Jaguar freshman Taylor Floyd (68-67-67) fired a five-under 67 to earn medalist honors and record his first collegiate victory, besting Chattanooga’s Derek Rende by four shots. ASU senior Janne Kaske (71-68-69) booked a three-under 69 to earn a four-way share of third while ASU junior Jake Amos (70-71-69) carded a three-under 69 to improve from 26th into a tie for ninth.

Sophomore Henrik Norlander tied for 12th at five-under 211 (69-68-74) and sophomore Carter Newman tied for 31st at two-under 214 (72-70-72).

ASU’s winning total of 36-under 828 was the second-lowest mark in tournament history while Floyd’s 14-under 202 ranked second to only three-time ASU All-American Oliver Wilson’s 17-under 199 in 2003.

Floyd joined former Jaguar All-American Jamie Elson as the only freshman in school history to claim the individual title in the Jags’ home event. Elson shot an eight-under 208 in 1999 and paced ASU to the team title as well.

Chattanooga and Kent State each turned in a six-under 282 and finished second and third, respectively. No. 20 Central Florida and Coastal Carolina tied for fourth at 15-under 849. Duke took sixth place at 11-under 853, while Tennessee, the highest-ranked team in the field at No. 12, was seventh at five-under 859.

The 17-team field included nine teams ranked in the top 50 in the nation.

USC Aiken senior Roberto Diaz, who matched the tournament record with a first-round, eight-under 64, tied for third along with Tennessee’s Robin Wingardh and Georgia State’s Allen John.

The victory also marked the Jags’ second straight triumph at Forest Hills. ASU claimed the last Administaff title contested at Forest Hills in 2005.

The Jags close out their regular season on April 24-25 in the Cavalier Classic at Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville, Va.