The Central Florida men's golf team celebrates after winning the Rio Pinar Invitational on Tuesday.
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Sometimes, all it takes is a little home course advantage to cure an ailing team.
After going winless since the NCAA regional last May, UCF blew away the field by 19 shots Tuesday at the Rio Pinar Invitational.
The Knights, No. 67 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings and playing less than 10 miles from their campus in Orlando, finished at 14-under 864 with four players in the top 10. It was the first time this season UCF scored under par.
UCF braved a windy opening day to jump out to a 15-stroke lead over No. 50 Charlotte. The 49ers never overcame the early gap and finished at 5-over 869 to take second place – five strokes ahead of third place North Texas.
Charlotte junior Olafur Loftsson posted 7-under 209 to win the individual title. Loftsson, a transfer from Ogelthorpe who won the D-III championship last year, closed with a bogey-free 68 to win his first D-I title.
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Rio Pinar Invitational
UCF won the Rio Pinar Invitational on March 16. Charlotte's Olafur Loftsson won the individual medal.
Loftsson hit 15 greens in regulation Tuesday and chipped-in once. UCF sophomore Brad Schneider, grouped with Loftsson, was neck-and-neck with his Charlotte opponent most of the day, but a three-putt bogey on No. 16 took him out of contention. Schneider finished runner-up at 5-under 211.
Knights junior Nuno Henriques, the team’s most consistent player this spring, finished third at 212. With five top-15 finishes this season, Henriques has emerged as the Knights top player, while the team has struggled to regain its 2009 success.
After their surprise trip to the NCAA Championship last season, the team lost its top two players, David Johnson and Blayne Barber, and its head coach, Nick Clinard, to Auburn.
The Knights have looked to Schneider to fill those big shoes.
“I felt like I was going to be a leader this season,” Schneider said. “And I feel like I put too much pressure on myself.”
Henriques sat out the ’09 season, but has worked with new coaches Bryce Wallor and Toby Ragland to regain his form and take some pressure of Schneider’s shoulders.
“Coach Wallor has made a big difference on me in terms of confidence,” Henriques said.
Assistant coach Ragland agrees.
“Nuno’s played great,” said Ragland, who played at Florida last year. “We’re carrying ourselves better and thinking positively, trying to focus on the present.”
UCF senior Simon Ward (2-under 214) had his best finish since the winning the Conference USA Championship last April. Schneider finished with his best round since his 13-under performance at NCAA regionals.
Wichita State’s Dustin Garza, No. 6 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, never looked comfortable and finished at 7 over to tie for 27th.
Charlotte senior Corey Nagy, who along with Garza was recently named to the Ben Hogan Award Watch List, finished fourth.
