UF MGOLF | Lin Notches First Collegiate Victory, Earns Exemption into Shriners Open

Yuxin Lin becomes the third straight Gator to win a title this season.

LAS VEGAS – For the second straight season a Florida men’s golfer captured their first collegiate victory on a big stage. This time it was Yuxin Lin at the Southern Highlands Collegiate on Tuesday.

The senior finished with a 54-hole score of 203 (-13) to win the tournament and earn an exemption into the PGA’s Shrines Children’s Open, scheduled for Oct. 12-15 at TPC Summerlin. In his freshman season, Lin had originally tied for 1st at Southern Highlands with current Korn Ferry Tour member Parker Coody, but fell in a playoff. This time, Lin didn’t leave an opportunity for one as he won by three shots among a field of 30 top-100 players.

The solo victory marks the third-straight tournament that a Gator has won medalist honors – Fred Biondi (Sea Best Invitational) and Ricky Castillo (VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational). Seventeen UF golfers have claimed medalist honors under head coach J.C. Deacon and at least three in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2005-06 & 2006-07 when current volunteer assistant coach Billy Horschel won four of the six total events.

Tied for the solo lead through the first two days, back-to-back birdies at the beginning of the turn (11 and 12) pushed Lin to a three-stroke lead and he never looked back. He shot all three rounds under-par with a final round of 69 (-3). He completed the outing with only three bogeys in 54-holes.

In the field of nine top-25 teams, Florida shot 10-under finishing tied for 6th with Georgia Teach. This is the four-straight outing the Gators have been under par by double-digits and sixth overall under par performance this season. UF has finished in the top-10 in each event this season.

Also winning his first collegiate win on an immense stage, the SEC Championship, John DuBois improved over the past two days and shot a tournament-low 70 (-2). He cut seven strokes from round one to two and four from two to three.

Castillo tied for the team-leading fifth event under par at -2 to place T22.

A stroke separating one another was Giovanni Manzoni in T40 and Quentin Debove at T46. Rounding out the lineup was John DuBois (T70) and Biondi (81st).

Florida wraps up the regular season first at the NIT (March 17-18) hosted by Arizona then the finale at the Augusta Haskins Award Invitational (April 1-2). The post season will start on April 19 at the SEC Championship.
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