Florida owns a six-stroke lead as eight Gators are in the top-25 with Giovanni Manzoni in first and Ricky Castillo T2.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Giovanni Manzoni and the Florida men’s golf team head into the final day of the Sea Best Invitational, both in the lead.
The No. 9 Gators finished 5-under on Monday with eight players in the top-25 as Florida owns a six-stroke lead for the final 18 holes tomorrow. A victory would mark the sixth time at the event and fourth under head coach J.C. Deacon.
Fifth-year senior Giovanni Manzoni led the field with back-to-back rounds in the 60s (69-67) to finish 4-under. Competing as an individual, he combined for 3-under on the back and is a stroke ahead of Ricky Castillo (T2, -3). Castillo, the Sea Best medalist in 2020, shot the lowest round of the tournament with a 65 (-5) to start his spring. He didn’t go bogey until his 21st hole at TPC Sawgrass.
A stroke back from Castillo, John DuBois and Miguel Leal are tied for 5th at -1. The outing marked the collegiate debut for Leal, who shot a 66 (-4) in the first round. His score was one away from tying 7th all-time for low score by a freshman, last set by Castillo at the Sea Best in 2020.
Inside the top-10, Fred Biondi sits even overall after using a second round of 68 (-2) to bounce back from a round one of 72 (+2). After a bogey to start the second set of 18, he recorded three birdies and 14 pars.
Tied for 12th is Matthew Kress and Yuxin Lin as Tyler Wilkes (T21) is two back from the duo to mark the eighth member in the top-25. Wilkes kicked off the spring season for UF with a birdie as he cut three strokes from his round one outing.
Rounding out all ten Gators competing at TPC Sawgrass is Ryan Hart (T42) and Parker Bell (T49).
Florida tees off the final 18 holes tomorrow.
Florida Individual Scores
1. *Giovanni Manzoni (69-67) = 136 (-4)
T2. Ricky Castillo (65-72) = 137 (-3)
T5. John DuBois (70-69) = 139 (-1)|
T5. *Miguel Leal (66-73) = 139 (-1)
T7. Fred Biondi (72-68) = 140 (E)
T12. *Matthew Kress (70-71) = 141 (+1)
T12. Yuxin Lin (72-69) = 141 (+1)
T21. Tyler Wilkes (73-70) = 143 (+2)
T42. *Ryan Hart (74-74) = 148 (+8)
T49. *Parker Bell (75-75) = 150
*competing as individual
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