MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Barry University’s No. 1-ranked men’s golf team will host the Buccaneer Invitational presented by Carrabba’s Italian Grill Monday and Tuesday at Normandy Shores Golf Club.
The Buccaneers welcome 15 teams, including four others ranked in the top 20 and three receiving votes in the GolfWorld/Nike Golf college coaches poll in the 10th year of the tournament – all under head coach Jimmy Stobs. The tournament begins Monday in an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on the par-71, 6,733-yard course. Two rounds are set for Monday with final round tee times scheduled for 7:15 a.m. Tuesday in the 54-hole event.
In addition to top-ranked Barry, this year’s field includes No. 4 Chico State, No. 8 Nova Southeastern, No. 17 Florida Tech and No. 20 St. Edward’s. Saint Leo, Valdosta State and Wilmington (Del.) each received votes in this week’s national poll. The rest of the field is comprised of teams and individuals representing: Montevallo, Georgia Southwestern, Colorado-Colorado Springs, Eckerd, Eastern Florida State College, Johnson & Wales (Fla.) and Tampa.
Nova won last year’s Buccaneer Invitational, shooting a tournament-record 25-under 286-270-271 – 827. That ended a five-year run in which the Bucs won the tournament. The Sharks’ 14-under 270 in last year’s second round set another tournament record.
Lynn’s Patricio Salem shot an 8-under 64 in the first round of the 2008 tournament to set the record for low round when the event was held at Westview Country Club in Miami. In 2012, Nova’s Ricardo Celia shot a 7-under 64 at Normandy in the third round. Three Buccaneers, including two current players, each shot 6-under 65 at Normandy. Senior Marcelo Huarte, playing as an individual this year, shot 65 in the first round of the 2012 tournament. Sophomore Adam Svensson shot 65 in last year’s final round. Daniel Stapff shot 65 in the second round of the 2011 tournament.
Nova’s Ben Taylor holds the tournament record for three-round total, shooting 9-under 71-66-67 – 204 last year. In 2005, St. Edward’s Blake Slaughter shot 11-under 69-67-69 – 205 in 2005 when the tournament was held at Hillcrest Golf Club in Hollywood, Fla.
In addition to Svensson, the No. 1-ranked golfer in NCAA Division II, Barry’s five-man scoring lineup includes seniors Jared Dalga, who has five top-10 finishes, and Scott Smyers, who has two top-five finishes. Dalga carries a 72.73 scoring average, and Smyers a 74.19. Freshman Mario Beltran, who won two tournaments in the fall and has two top-five finishes in the spring, and junior Berry Jole, who finished 13th in the St. Edward’s Invitational, round out the Bucs’ lineup to count for team scoring purposes. Beltran owns a 72.86 scoring average, and Jole a 74.5.
Huarte has a 77.55 scoring average, and one top-25 finish. He is joined by junior John Yu, sophomore Nico Cavero and freshmen Nico Cavero, Eirik Groenhaug and Patrick Murray, who will compete as individuals in the tournament. Yu tied for 48th at Johnson & Wales’ Dave Adamonis Sr. Invitational in the fall, shooting 74 in the opening round. Groenhaug tied for 15th in Nova’s Guy Harvey Invitational in the fall, and has a 75.67 scoring average while playing in two fall tournaments. He shared the first round lead at the Guy Harvey Invitational with Svensson and Beltran, shooting 2-under 70. Cavero has a 74.22 scoring average, and finished third in the Dave Adamonis Sr. Invitational on the heels of a career-low 67 in the opening round. He finished the three-round tournament with a 2-under 214, and was the leader after the first two rounds. Murray competed in Johnson & Wales' fall tournament, finishing in a tie for 38th. He shot 73 in the first round and 74 in the final round.
The Buccaneer Invitational is the final regular season tournament for Barry. Be sure to follow updates on the @GoBarryBucs Twitter feed.
Buccaneer Invitational presented by Carrabba's Italian Grill
March 31-April 1
Normandy Shores Golf Club
Miami Beach, Fla.
Par 71, 6,733 yards
TEAM CHAMPS
% 2005 North Alabama 283-283-292 -- 858 (-6)
^ 2006 Lynn 286-285-299 -- 870 (+6)
^ 2007 Florida Gulf Coast 289-289-281 -- 859 (-5)
^ 2008 Barry 286-290-289 -- 865 (+1)
2009 Barry 283-290-299 -- 872 (+20)
2010 Barry 277-293-284 -- 854 (+2)
2011 Barry 285-274-295 -- 854 (+2)
2012 Barry 281-281-279 -- 841 (-11)
2013 Nova Southeastern 286-270-271 -- 827 (-25)
INDIVIDUAL CHAMPS
% 2005 Blake Slaughter, St. Edward’s 69-67-69 -- 205 (-11)
^ 2006 * Robert Taylor, Florida GC 70-70-72 -- 212 (-4)
^ 2007 Jason Flowers, Valdosta St. 74-68-70 -- 212
^ 2008 Andrew Georgiou, Columbus St. 72-72-68 -- 211 (-5)
2009 * Jeff Ivall, Northwood (Fla.) 74-69-69 -- 212 (-1)
2010 Daniel Stapff , Barry 67-74-68 -- 209 (-4)
2011 Jack Bartlett, Nova SE 67-75-69 -- 211 (-2)
2012 * Oscar Lengden, Nova SE 69-65-72 -- 206 (-7)
2013 Ben Taylor, Nova SE 71-66-67 -- 204 (-9)
TEAM LOW ROUND
2013 Nova SE 270 2nd Rd (-14)
2013 Nova SE 271 3rd Rd (-13)
2011 Barry 274 2nd Rd (-10)
TEAM LOW 54-HOLE WINNING TOTAL
2013 Nova SE 827 (-25)
2012 Barry 841 (-11)
2011 Barry 854 (+2)
2010 Barry 854 (+2)
INDIVIDUAL LOW ROUND
^ 2008 Patricio Salem, Lynn 64 (-8) 1st Rd
2012 Ricardo Celia, Nova SE 64 (-7) 3rd Rd
2013 Adam Svensson, Barry 65 (-6) 3rd Rd
2012 Marcelo Huarte, Barry 65 (-6) 1st Rd
2012 Oscar Lengden, Nova SE 65 (-6) 2nd Rd
2011 Daniel Stapff, Barry 65 (-6) 2nd Rd
INDIVIDUAL LOW 54-HOLE TOTAL
2013 Ben Taylor, Nova SE 71-66-67 -- 204 (-9)
% 2005 Blake Slaughter, St. Edward’s 69-67-69 -- 205 (-11)
2012 *Oscar Lengden, Nova SE 69-65-72 -- 206 (-7)
2012 Marcelo Rozo, Lynn 69-69-68 -- 206 (-7)
2012 Ricardo Celia, Nova SE 72-70-64 -- 206 (-7)
% - at Hillcrest Golf Club, Hollywood, Fla.
^ - at Westview Country Club, Miami
* - won in playoff