Martin Hurtado Paces Spartans in Debut

DADE CITY, Fla. – The University of Tampa men's golf team battled another elite regional field at the Saint Leo Invitational, finishing in a 13th-place tie at Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club's South Course.

The event featured perennial NCAA contenders and produced several low rounds across all three days, testing the Spartans on one of the longest tracks they will see this spring.

Top Teams

• No. 2 Florida Southern set the championship pace from the opening round and never wavered, winning the team title with a blistering 839 (-25) behind a lineup that placed all five players in the top 42 individually.
• Host Saint Leo applied pressure throughout, highlighted by a second‑round 276 (-12), but ultimately finished runner‑up at 841 (-23).
• Nova Southeastern surged to third at 843 (-21), featuring two players inside the top six.
• Lynn finished close behind in fourth with 845 (-19).
• Lee rounded out the top five at 853 (-11).
• Overall, 11 teams finished under par, underscoring the competitiveness Tampa faced across the 54‑hole tournament.
• Despite the stacked leaderboard, Tampa delivered one of its most balanced performances of the season, carding rounds of 293, 289, and 289 for a total of 871 (+7) to finish in a tie for 13th with Valdosta State.

Tampa Performers

• Martin Hurtado – T34 (216 E): Hurtado provided Tampa's strongest overall finish thanks to a clutch final‑round surge. After opening with back‑to‑back 74s, he fired a 4‑under 68 on the final day—Tampa's lowest score of the tournament—to climb 20+ spots on the leaderboard. His birdie-heavy closing round anchored the Spartan lineup when they needed it most.
• A.J. Hovermale – T42 (218 +2): Hovermale continued his early‑spring consistency by delivering two rounds of par or better, including a standout 70 (-2) in Round 2. He closed with an even‑par 72, marking his third straight counting score and reaffirming his role as one of Tampa's most dependable contributors.
• Mohit Balaji – T49 (219 +3): Balaji opened strong with a 71 (-1) and remained steady throughout the week. His 75–73 finish helped keep Tampa positioned in the middle of a crowded leaderboard. The performance marked another finish inside the top 50 for the junior.
• Carl Gustin – T65 (222 +6): Gustin produced two counting rounds, beginning the event at even par with a clean 72. He followed with a 73 (+1) in Round 2 before a challenging final day. The veteran once again provided valuable early‑round stability that supplemented Tampa's mid‑lineup scoring.
• Kyle Honer – T74 (224 +8): Honer matched his second‑round 72 (E) with another solid contribution before closing with a 76. His ability to steady the Spartans in the middle of each round helped anchor the team's scoring averages.
• Aidan Millham (Ind.) – T89 (233 +17): Competing as an individual, Millham posted rounds of 80, 77, and 76 to gain valuable tournament reps on a demanding layout.

Up Next

After competing in consecutive weeks, head coach Gary Hilton and his Spartans will return to action at the Southeastern Collegiate in Valdosta, Ga., on March 9-10.