Men's golf team in third place heading into final round of national tournament

The Eastern Florida State College men's golf team shot their best round of the tournament in the third round of the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament Thursday afternoon in Odessa, Texas.

The Titans shot a 5-under 288 in the third round and are in third place heading into the final round of the tournament Friday at Odessa Country Club.

Sophomore John Houchin was on top of his game, shooting a 5-under 67 which was the best round of the day and the tournament.

The Merritt Island native had birdies on the first three holes and then on No. 7 to make the turn at 4-under. Then after making pars on five straight holes, he hit a nice birdie putt on No. 15, then hit his approach shot within a foot of the hole on No. 16 and birdied 17 to finish with a 67.

"I got off to a good start, birdied my first three holes and then had another on the par 5 hole to make the turn at 4-under, then I stalled out in the middle with pars and then birdied 15,16 and 17 which was pretty cool," said Houchin who is tied for fifth overall. "I have been playing really good, especially in qualifying rounds so it was good to get one of those low rounds in a tournament."

Teammates Matt Gauntlett, Drew Lanier and Brandon Boncore each shot even par and Robert Greninger shot a 2-over 74.

Lanier opened the round with a nice birdie putt on No. 1 and made the turn at 1-over but a birdie on No. 13 put him even par for the day. The sophomore from Maitland is tied for ninth overall at even par for the tournament.

Gauntlett finished strong, making birdies on No. 10 and No. 17 to shoot 2-under on the back nine and even par for the day. He is tied for 28^th overall with Boncore who had a par on the first nine holes before a double bogey on No. 10. But he bounced back with birdies on No. 15 and No. 17 for the 72.

"It was kind of a tale of two nines, we started out kind of ehh, then we turned it around. John obviously played really well, Matt made a nice comeback, Brandon made a nice comeback, Drew was around par all day and Robert was right there as well," Eastern Florida State College men's golf coach Jamie Howell said. "We hung around all day but the problem is Hutch is not going backwards at all."

In three rounds the Titans have recorded 184 pars which is the most in the tournament and is second in the tournament in par 4 scoring average at even par. Houchin is leading the tournament in scoring on par 4 holes, shooting 7-under this week. Lanier is 3-under on par 4 holes. 

Eastern Florida State College is at 4-over for the tournament, trailing New Mexico Junior College who is at 1-under for second place. Hutchinson Community College had another good day and is 16-under for the tournament.

The three teams will be the final group on Friday, teeing off beginning at 1:24 p.m.