Junior All-American Billy Horschel (Grant, Fla.) carded a 1-under 71 on Friday to lift the ninth-ranked University of Florida men’s golf team to seventh place after the first day of play at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Championship in Las Vegas.

The Gators tallied a 5-over total of 293 and sit eight shots back of tournament leader Southern Cal. The No. 7 Trojans were the only team in red figures on Friday with a 3-under 285. Host UNLV is tied with No. 4 UCLA for second place after an even-par 288. No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Charlotte are in a tie for fourth place after a round of 289 (+1).

“I was a little disappointed in the way we played today,” UF head coach Buddy Alexander said. “We just have to try to be a little better tomorrow. I believe a lot in these guys, and we can play better.”

Cold weather and an early morning frost pushed tee times back one hour. When play began ideal scoring conditions welcomed one of the most premier fields in all of collegiate golf.

Horschel’s steady play was sparked by a front nine that featured two birdies to no bogeys. He fired a 2-under 34 on the front and closed with a 1-over 37 for a 71 that put him in a tie for sixth place with six other players. Both of Horschel’s birdies came on par threes. It marked the junior’s team-leading ninth round of the year at or under par.

“He made a couple of birdies early and made a bunch of pars,” Alexander said of Horschel’s round.  

Charlotte’s Jonas Enander Hedin and UNLV’s Matt Kinsinger totaled 4-under 68s as the two sit atop the leaderboard. Team-leading USC had two players with 3-under rounds of 69, including Jamie Lovemark and Matthew Giles. Seven players are within one shot of the lead.

Senior Manuel Villegas (Medellin, Colombia) recorded an even-par 72 and is tied for 16th. Villegas opened with a five on the par-4 first hole but answered when he rolled in a birdie two on hole No. 2. The senior got back into red figures with a birdie on the par-4 11th. A bogey four on 17 left him at even par and within four strokes of the lead.

Junior Toby Ragland (Jacksonville, Fla.), making his first start since the SunTrust Gator Invitational, fired a 2-over 74 to sit in a tie for 28th position. Ragland was even through 14 holes before giving back three shots on three of his last four holes.

Senior Tyler Brown (Jacksonville, Fla.) finished with a 4-over 76 and is in a tie for 43rd place. Brown registered two birdies to four bogeys and a double bogey on the par-3 12th hole. Junior Will Strickler (Charlottesville, Va.), coming off a runner-up finish at the John Hayt Invitational, recorded a 7-over 79 in his first start of the spring season.

Team Scores After Day 1

Individual Top 10 After Day 1

Florida Day 1 Results