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A.J. Hovermale
A.J. Hovermale
February 10, 2026

Tampa Battles Deep Ranked Field at Matlock Classic

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LAKELAND, Fla. - The University of Tampa men's golf team faced one of the toughest fields of the spring at the Matlock Classic, a tournament loaded with nine nationally ranked programs, including two top‑five teams and four inside the top 20.

Top Teams

The depth was evident from the opening round, as No. 4 West Florida surged to the top and never looked back, ultimately winning the event with an impressive 847 total. Host No. 5 Florida Southern finished close behind in second, while No. 22 Nova Southeastern and No. 19 Saint Leo rounded out the top four. The middle of the leaderboard was equally stacked, with No. 20 Rollins, No. 37 Palm Beach Atlantic, No. 29 Lynn, No. 48 Embry‑Riddle, and No. 12 Barry all finishing inside the top ten, underscoring the strength of the field Tampa was up against.

Despite the heavy concentration of ranked opponents, Tampa delivered a gritty performance and finished 13th with rounds of 292, 303, and 304 for a 54‑hole total of 899. The Spartans opened the tournament with their best round, showing early poise against elite competition.

Tampa Performers

  • Mohit Balaji led the way with remarkable steadiness, firing three straight 74s to finish T30 at 222. His ability to avoid mistakes across all three rounds gave Tampa a reliable anchor in the lineup.
  • Carl Gustin provided the team's biggest spark early, carding a 71 (-1) in the opening round—Tampa's only under‑par score of the week and one of the stronger individual starts in the entire field. He followed with a 73 before a difficult final round left him at 225, but his early play helped set the tone for the Spartans' strong first day.
  • Kyle Honer added another key opening‑round performance with an even‑par 72 and closed with a 76 to finish at 227, contributing two counting rounds that kept Tampa competitive.
  • Further down the lineup, Adam Hovermale Jr. delivered three counting scores, highlighted by a 75 in Round 1.
  • Linus Landahl showed steady improvement throughout the event, finishing with his best round—a 76 on the final day. Their contributions helped stabilize the team.

Up Next

The Spartans continue spring action at the Saint Leo Invitational on February 16-17 at Lake Jovita Golf Course in Dade City, Fla.