#11 Mocs Win Battle in the Desert for 4th Tournament Title of the Year

BORREGO SPRINGS, Calif. – No. 11 Florida Southern men's golf goes wire-to-wire to win the team's fourth tournament of the year at the Battle in the Desert at the Rams Hills Golf Club. The Moccasins posted four of their five in the top-25 of the 80-player field.
 
Newly ranked No. 11 Florida Southern, went coast-to-coast both in flight and on the course to capture the team's fourth tournament title, tying for second-most in a single season in program history falling just shy of the record of five tournaments in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. The Moccasins hung on to defeat No. 4 Georgia Southwestern by six strokes who made a charge by shooting a nine-under 279 final round. Florida Southern paired its opening two rounds of 286 (-2) and 288 (E) with its final round 293 (+5) to finish at 867 (+3).
 
Donte Groppuso paced the Mocs and finished in seventh place at two-under 214. The Kingston, N.Y. native dropped a few strokes Wednesday but stayed in the top 10. He closed the tournament with a final round of 74 (+2).
 
Max Barile battled to stay in the top-10 at 216 (E) after a final round 72 on the par-72 6,955-yard course for a ninth-place finish. Barile finished the front nine three over and lit up the back nine with four straight birdies before finishing at three-under.
 
Tyler Mistretta closed the tournament with a one-over 73 for a tournament score of 217 (+1). The North Palm Beach, Fla. native tied for 12^th overall after going one-over through the front nine and made up the strokes with an even back nine for the one-over.
 
Max Watson shot his third straight 74 (+2) to finish tied for 25^th at 222 (+6). Watson started his final round with five straight pars before two birdies in the next three holes. The Ashland, Ohio native would close his round with six pars, two bogeys, and one double-bogey for his two-over.
 
Adam Alvarez finished the tournament in 54^th place at 227 (+11). The Winter Haven, Fla. native carded a final round 79 (+7) to pair with his 75 first round and a 73 second round score.
 
Simon Bjorken (Cal StateMonterey Bay) and Mateo Quiroga (Georgia Southwestern) tied for the lead with a 211 (-5) but it was Bjorken who came away as the medalist winning the second playoff hole.
 
1st - #11 Florida Southern - 286-288-293 – 867 (+3)
7th - Donte Groppuso - 70-70-74 – 214 (-2)
T9 - Max Barile - 69-75-72 – 216 (E)
T12 - Tyler Mistretta - 73-71-73 – 217 (+1)
T25 - Max Watson - 74-74-74 – 222 (+9)
54 - Adam Alvarez - 75-73-79 – 227 (+11)
 
No. 11 Florida Southern returns to the course on March 11-12 at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at the Kinderlou Forest Golf Course in Valdosta, Ga.