NEW ORLEANS – At the end of 54-holes of golf at the Big Texan junior Florian Moosmeier was tied atop the leader board at five-under – unfortunately, Abilene Christian’s Alex Clouse had two holes left to play. Clouse made par on the first and birded on the second to win the tournament by a single stroke over Moosmeier.
Moosmeier sank 13 of the Privateers 43 birdies over three rounds, including seven on Tuesday. At one point during round three Moosmeier had made birdies on holes three, four, six, seven, eight, and nine during his charge up the leader board.
Flo finished the tournament at par or better on 48 of 54 holes, and the best among all golfers on the par-four holes with a 3.87 average. The junior’s second-place finish matches his best career finish from last year’s Gulf Coast Collegiate and is his third top-five finish in a little over a year and a half on the Lakefront.
Grayson Gilbert carded a 71 in the third round on his way to finishing tied for 14th at 220. Grayson made 12 birdies over three rounds and had a string of four consecutive birdies between holes three and six on Tuesday afternoon.
The team finished the tournament at 884 – good for sixth place – including today’s third round of 285. Tuesday afternoon’s score was 11 strokes better than any previous round by UNO this season.
The 43 birdies made by New Orleans were the most this season and Moosmeier, Gilbert, and Brady Bennett each had five or more birdies during the third round.
Lukas Heckmann had the team’s lone eagle of the tournament with a long putt downhill putt on the par-five hole four.
Abilene Christian also took home the team championship with a score of 860, while Clouse finished with a six-under 210 to edge Moosmeier for the individual crown.
Next up for the Privateers is the Huntsville Toyota Bearkat Invitational hosted by Sam Houston on April 5-6 at Walden at Lake Conroe Golf Club in Montgomery, Texas.
NOTES
– Moosmeier and Gilbert would have become the first Privateers since Jose Toledo and Ken Looper to win back-to-back individual tournaments in September of 2007.
– Gilbert has now finished in the top 20 in eight of his last nine tournaments.
– Heckmann’s eagle was the second of his career, and the third of the season for the Privateers – Bennett and Gilbert made eagles last week at the Colin Montgomerie Invitational.
– After four tournaments the Privateers are 8-12 against Southland schools this season.
FINAL RESULTS
6 New Orleans, U. of 297, 302, 285 | 884
T2 Florian Moosmeier (2) 71, 71, 69 | 211
T14 Grayson Gilbert (1) 74, 75, 71 | 220
T29 Brady Bennett (3) 76, 79, 72 | 227
T29 Lukas Heckmann (5) 76, 78. 73 | 227
T52 Nolan Lambert (4) 76, 78, 83 | 237
HEAD COACH JEFF LORIO
“Today was a much better day. This is what we are capable of when we have a complete team effort. The guys are starting to realize just how good we can be and hopefully starting to peak at the right time.”
(on Moosmeier’s performance)
“Flo had an outstanding tournament. From tee to green hit it pretty much flawlessly all week. If it weren’t for two bad breaks today I am certain he would have won. He has worked extremely hard and is deserving of this finish.”
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @PrivateersGolf and @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, @PrivateersGolf, and @UNOPrivateers on Instagram, like “New Orleans Privateers Golf” and “UNOPrivateers” on Facebook and subscribe to the UNOPrivateers YouTube channel.
{Courtesy: Press Release from UNO Athletics}