Head Coach Trey Jones guided Florida State to its first ever ACC men's golf championship.

April 20, 2008

NEW LONDON, N.C. - The Florida State University Men's Golf Team, led by All-America teammates Jonas Blixt and Matt Savage, won its first ever Atlantic Coast Conference championship as it defeated Duke by three strokes at the 55th Annual ACC Championship at the Old North State Club at Uwharrie Point. The Seminoles defeated the Blue Devils by four stokes in the third round as they rallied from a one stroke deficit after two rounds to claim the school's first ever ACC championship in the sport of golf.

"I feel like we were playing well coming in to the week," said Head Coach Trey Jones. "The talent level in the league is so good with so many great coaches and great players. The tournament has such a great tradition. We knew we were going to have to make lots of putts. We kept with it. We kept staying with it and staying with it. We didn't take nine holes off, we never lost focus, we stayed in it. I'm proud of the guys."

The Seminoles' overcame Duke and the weather to win the conference championship. Before they moved passed the Blue Devils in the team standings, the Seminoles waited through a 2:18 rain delay that not only stopped play but dumped a tremendous amount of rain on the course. Following the rain delay, the Seminoles went to work on the course and the Blue Devils.

Each of the five team members contributed to the victory as the Seminoles closed the 54-hole tournament with four players under par and only one at over par. Blixt (Hammaro, Sweden) and Savage (Louisville, Ky.) led the way with eight-under par 208 scores as they both finished in a tie for third in the individual standings. Freshman Drew Kittleson (Scottsdale, Ariz.) finished in a tied for sixth place with a six-under par score of 210. Sophomore Seath Lauer (Huntington, Ind.) finished in a tie for 13th place with a two-under par score of 212 and sophomore Cameron Knight (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) finished in a tie for 42nd with a score of 223.

"This is a balanced team with good chemistry," said Jones. "Our chemistry grows because we continue to get better. The more they put themselves in the position to win, the better they get.

Blixt and Savage, who finished in a tie for third place in the individual standings, became the fifth and sixth Seminoles in school history to finish in third place or higher at the ACC Championship. Blixt has now earned back-to-back top three finishes after finishing as the individual medalist in 2007. The third place finish was the best in Savage's career after a pair of top-25 placings in his first two ACC Tournament appearances.

"They guys played great today," said Savage. We had a lot of fun out there. It takes the pressure off when your teammates on the leader board at three, four and five under. It takes the pressure off when you know you don't have to win it for your team and can just play."

55th Annual ACC Men's Golf Championship/Par 72/Second Round FSU Results
Old North State Club at Uwharrie Pt./New London, N.C.
1/11.   Florida State   279   279   280   838
T3.     Jonas Blixt     69    70    69    208
T3.     Matt Savage     68    67    71    208
T6      Drew Kittleson  72    68    70    210
T13.    Seath Lauer     70    72    70    212
T42.    Cameron Knight  76    75    72    223

55th Annual ACC Men's Golf Championship/Par 72/Second Round Team Results
Old North State Club at Uwharrie Pt./New London, N.C.
1.   Florida State    838   7.    NC State         858
2.   Duke             841   8.    Virginia Tech    864
3.   North Carolina   846   9.    Virginia         868
4.   Georgia Tech     847   10.   Boston College   886
5.   Wake Forest      848   11.   Maryland         906
6.   Clemson          858