Justin Suh won the inaugural Trinity Forest Invitational
(USC photo)
DALLAS, TX (September 26, 2017) - Justin Suh of the University of Southern California shot a four-under 67 to win the inaugural Trinity Forest Invitational by three shots at Trinity Forest Golf Club.
The University of Florida won the team competition, shooting the low round of the tournament, a 9-under 275, to pull away from the field and win by ten shots over Auburn and Texas Tech.
Suh entered the final round tie with Brandon Mancheno of Auburn at six under par. Playing in the wave ahead of Mancheno, Suh started slow with a bogey at the second but was flawless the rest of the way, making five birdies coming in and posting a clubhouse total of 10-under 203.
Related: Mancheno, Suh Co-Lead at Trinity Forest Invitational
Mancheno was not able to match Suh, dropping two shots early and finishing with an even-par 71. He finished tied for third at six under, four shots behind Suh.
Suh credited his mental approach for the second win of his college career. "My overall golf game felt solid," Suh told USC, "but what specifically helped me this week was my mental approach. The work I've put in with (team psychologist) Kevin Sverduk showed throughout the highs and lows of the event."
The round of the tournament was posted by Gordon Neale of the University of Florida. Neale, a junior, made six birdies and an eagle for an 8-under 63, his career low round. Teammate Andy Zhang also went low for the Gators, shooting a 67 to help Florida win its first tournament since the Mason Rudolph last spring.
Neale finished solo runner-up to Suh at 8-under 206, while Zhang tied for third with Mancheno at 207. Alejandro Tosti (214), Chris Nido (216) and John Axelsen (220) were the other members of the victorious Florida Gators team.
Auburn closed with a one-over 285 to share second with Texas Tech, who shot 7-under 277 on the final day. Texas finished fourth, twelve shots behind Florida, with Southern Cal fifth, fourteen shots back.
Four USA Walker Cup team members were in the field at Trinity Forest. Doug Ghim of Texas finished 8th at three under, while teammate Scottie Scheffler faded to a T36 finish after leading the tournament with a 65 in round one.
Norman Xiong of Oregon and Doc Redman of Clemson both finished in the bottom half of the field.
This was the first big tournament for Trinity Forest Golf Club, which was named the new site of the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Invitational starting in 2018. It replaces the TPC Las Colinas complex in Irving which had hosted the event for decades, and will bring an entirely new feel to the event. The course, designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, is on an open and windswept site in southeast Dallas far away from development, and though not truly a links site, it will require more of a "ground game" than the aerial game seen so often at the TPC.
ABOUT THE Trinity Forest Invitational
54-hole collegiate team stroke play event hosted by
Southern Methodist University. Team (best four
scores
out of five players each round) and individual
competitions.
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