LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 11 Florida Southern men's golf leads the 15-team field after the opening two rounds of the Matlock Collegiate Classic Monday at Lone Palm Golf Club in Lakeland, Fla. The Moccasins saw
Adam Alvarez and
Max Barile challenge the field of 78 with top-5 finishes heading into the final round Tuesday.
Adam Alvarez, a redshirt senior from Winter Haven, Fla., is leading the player field at six-under (138) a one-stroke advantage over a trio of players - Jose Ramirez, Jake Nash, Amani D'Ambrosio - at five-under (139). Alvarez carded an even-par 72 to open the tournament with one eagle, 15 pars, and two bogeys before flipping it on and firing a 66 (-6) for his second 18 holes. He made seven birdies, 10 pars, and had a single bogey.
Max Barile sits in fifth at 141 (-3) after leading the team with a 68 (-4) in round one before closing the day with a one over 73. Barile had seven birdies on the day with 26 pars, one double-bogey, and a pair of bogeys.
Tyler Mistretta and
Colton Swartz are tied for 19
th and round out the players inside the top 20 for the Moccasins at 146 (+2). Mistretta shaved six strokes off his first-round score (76) for a second-round 70 (-2). Swartz, playing in his first tournament as a Moc, used a 70 (-2) to jump-start his tournament and finished with a 76 (+4).
Donte Groppuso heads to Tuesday's round tied for 28
th at 148 (+4) following rounds of 75 and 73.
Max Watson rounded out the Moccasins in the field, playing as an individual, in 37
th place with a 36-hole score of 150 (+6).
No. 11 Florida Southern holds a six-stroke lead over No. 46 Lynn who is second place. The Moccasins started the day, which featured a 55-minute rain cycle, with a 285 (-3) before shaving strokes and carding a 282 (-6), the second lowest round by a team of the afternoon, and finishing at 567 (-9). The Fighting Knights moved to second place with a second-round 281 (-1) after a first-round 292 (+4) to finish at 573 (-3).
No. 12 Saint Leo and No. 26 Nova Southeastern are tied for third at 579 (+3) ahead of No. 42 Barry in fifth place at 582 (+6).
#11 Florida Southern – 285-282 – 567 (-9)
1 –
Adam Alvarez – 72-66 – 138 (-6)
T5 –
Max Barile – 68-73 – 141 (-3)
T19 –
Tyler Mistretta – 76-70 – 146 (+2)
T19 –
Colton Swartz – 70-76 – 146 (+2)
T28 –
Donte Groppuso – 75-73 – 148 (+4)
*T37 –
Max Watson – 77-73 – 150 (+6)
* - playing as an individual
No. 11 Florida Southern and the field will return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 8:30 a.m. for the third and final round of the Matlock Collegiate Classic at Lone Palm Golf Club. It will be a shotgun start with the Moccasins paired with Lynn and Saint Leo off holes 1-3 with
Max Watson going off the fourth hole.
