Final Results
WINDERMERE, Fla. - Despite struggling late in the round, the No. 31-ranked Purdue men's golf team finished tied for sixth at the prestigious Tavistock Invitational.
The Boilermakers shot a 54-hole total of 10-over par 874 (283-290-301) to place tied for sixth place just seven shots out of third place. Purdue, which entered the day in third place, struggled down the stretch as the counting team played the final four holes in a combined 10-over par to fall from third to sixth in the final standings.
No. 7-ranked Florida won the event with a 20-under par 844 (283-277-284). No. 3-ranked Vanderbilt was second at 9-under par 855 (286-283-286). Arizona State (No. 36) was third at 3-over par 867 and was followed by North Florida at 4-over par 868 and No. 9-ranked North Carolina at 6-over par 870 (289-285-296). In the process, the Boilermakers defeated No. 1-ranked Illinois by four shots and tied with No. 6-ranked Texas Tech.
Purdue led the field in pars made (174), but was 12th out of 15 teams in birdies (37). The Boilermakers managed just two birdies during Tuesday's front nine and finished the third round with just nine birdies.
The Tavistock Collegiate Invitational is considered the premier fall event in collegiate golf. Four of the nation's top-seven and 10 of the nation's top-45 teams are in the field. Every team in the field is ranked in the nation's top 100. Played at the prestigious Isleworth Golf and Country Club, the course is home to Tiger Woods and plays to par-72 and over 7,500 yards.
Sophomore Timmy Hildebrand turned in his best finish of his young career with a T-17th placing at 2-over par 218 (70-77-71). Hildebrand was cruising along at 2-under par until a double-bogey on the par-5 17th hole. He would respond with a birdie on the par-4 18th hole, one of just five on the hole in the third round, to record his sixth career round of even-par or better for his second career top-20 finish.
His previous best finish came in this year's Wolf Run Intercollegiate, where he tied for 18th.
Junior Brian Carlson also tied for 17th at 2-over par 218 with consistent rounds of 72-72-74. Carlson, like Hildebrand, was cruising early in his round with three birdies in a four-hole span on Nos. 10 through 13 to go to 2-under par for his round through 14 holes. However, he played the final four holes in 4-over par, including a double-bogey on the 349-yard, par-4 16th hole. Nonetheless, Carlson recorded his 11th career top-20 finish.
Senior Austin Eoff finished tied for 23rd with a 54-hole total of 4-over par 220 (70-72-78). Eoff couldn't get anything going in the third round, registering zero birdies, four bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-4 18th. The double-bogey was his first this year in 198 holes played.
Senior Fernando Barco finished tied for 44th at 10-over par 226 (71-73-82), while sophomore Jarle Volden was tied for 63rd at 15-over par 231 (80-73-78).
Purdue wraps up its fall schedule in two weeks at the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Boilermakers are the defending champion and shooting a school-record score of 30-under par 834 a year ago.
Purdue Sixth at Elite Tavistock Invite
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