April 16, 2008

Oviedo, FL (UWIRE) -- The UCF Men's Golf team had four players finish in the top 10 at the University of Kentucky Bluegrass Invitational en route to a dominant performance and its second tournament win of the season.

The Knights beat runners-up Missouri and Murray State by 16 strokes, a difference larger than the one between the second- and ninth-place teams.

Giwon Suh, David Johnson, Greg Forest and Mike Stern all finished in the top 10.

Kentucky had three players finish that high and was the only other team with more than one player in the top 10.

Suh was the highest finisher for UCF, even though his 11-over-par 224 was just one stroke better than the other three Knights.

Johnson, Forest and Stern all finished with 12-over-par 225s.

The invitational was scheduled to begin Sunday, but inclement weather allowed the 17 teams to complete only the first round.

They finished the second and third rounds Monday, when the temperature in Lexington, Ky., was near 40 degrees.

UCF made its mark in the second round, shooting a 6-over-par 290 as a team. That great round allowed the Knights to move from a tie for second place into a six-stroke lead for first.

The 290 the Knights shot in the second round was just one of four total rounds less than 300 in the tournament.

"It was great to get our second win of the season," UCF coach Nick Clinard said in a press release. "We played OK in some of the worst conditions that I have seen in my 26 of playing golf.

"The golf course had a difficult setup and the guys did a good job of staying positive this week in adverse conditions. Hopefully, this win will give us some confidence heading into the postseason."

The Knights also won the UCF Invitational on Feb. 26.

Also for UCF, Nuno Henriques finished tied for 37th with a 20-over-par 233, while Preston Brown shot a 37-over-par 250.

The Knights finished their regular season on a strong note, and their next challenge will be the Conference USA Championship, which starts Sunday in Texarkana, Ark.

Last season, UCF finished sixth in the conference tournament.

(C) 2008 Central Florida Future via UWIRE