STATESBORO, Ga. -- Florida battled strong winds and fired a final round 289
but were the only squad to finish tournament play under par with an 859
total as the Gators captured the 2004 Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational Sunday.
Florida, which recorded a six-under 570 (280-290) during the first two
rounds of play at the par-72, 6,945-yard Forest Heights Country Club
Saturday, was 10 shots better than runner-up Georgia (289-286-294=869) and
12 strokes ahead of third-place finisher South Carolina (292-282-297=871).
The Gators also used three strong under-par performances from individual
champion Matt Every (-9, 207), Camilo Villegas (-2, 214) and Jessie Mudd
(-1, 215) to earn their third overall Schenkel title and first since 1975.
Every, who shot a third-round-best 68 Sunday, edged out Wake Forest's Bill
Haas by two strokes. Haas struggled with a 77 during the final round after
leading the event after 36 holes with a 12-under 132. Georgia's Chris Kirk
stood third among individuals with a four-under 212 (68-70-74) while Nathan
Smith of Duke was fourth with a 71-72-70=213 total. Every, Smith and South
Carolina's Alex Hamilton were the only players to card under-par totals in
the gusty conditions Sunday.
Host Georgia Southern shot a 20-over par 884 (295-288-301) and finished the
tournament in 11th place. Among individuals, Kurt Watkins was 10th with a
216 (72-70-74) while Aron Price stood 25th (220), Toshi Hirata 39th (224),
Jon David Kennedy 47th (226) and Bryan Jones 70th (234).
TEAM LEADERS
1. Florida 280 290 289 -- 859
2. Georgia 289 286 294 -- 869
3. South Carolina 292 282 297 -- 871
4. Duke 285 286 301 -- 872
5. Augusta State 289 285 302 -- 876
6. Clemson 297 283 298 -- 878
7. Louisiana State 287 290 302 -- 879
T8. Southern Cal 285 295 301 -- 881
T8. Wake Forest 287 282 312 -- 881
10. Ohio State 290 283 309 -- 882
11. Ga. Southern 295 288 301 -- 884
12. N.C. State 305 289 296 -- 890
13. North Carolina 297 291 304 -- 892
14. Tennessee 295 290 308 -- 893
15. Auburn 295 292 308 -- 895
TOP 10 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1. Matt Every, Florida 67 72 68 -- 207
2. Bill Haas, Wake Forest 68 64 77 -- 209
3. Chris Kirk, Georgia 68 70 74 -- 212
4. Nathan Smith, Duke 71 72 70 -- 213
T5. Colin Biles, Ohio State 70 71 73 -- 214
T5. Scott Oxandaboure, Southern Cal 68 73 73 -- 214
T5. Camilo Villegas, Florida 70 72 72 -- 214
T8. Jessie Mudd, Florida 71 72 72 -- 215
T8. Martin Ureta, UNC 70 70 75 -- 215
T10. Alex Hamilton, South Carolina 78 68 70 -- 216
T10. Major Manning, ASU 71 69 76 -- 216
T10. Stephen Poole, Clemson 74 70 72 -- 216
T10. Kurt Watkins, GSU 72 70 74 -- 216