SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — There’s a gator on the loose in the desert.
The Florida men’s golf team survived a gauntlet and a grind during Wednesday’s NCAA Men’s Golf Championship match play final against Georgia Tech.
At one point, all four matches were on the 17th hole or later and tied.
Yuxin Lin ended his match quickly against Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht. Lamprecht hit his approach to 30 feet on the par-4 15th but three putted, and Lin was able to get up-and-down from the right green side rough to win 4 and 3.
Then John DuBois won his match on the 18th hole, earning the Gators’ second point. He took advantage of Connor Howe’s approach shot coming up short on the closing hole, with Howe not being able to get in for par.
NCAA: Photos
Georgia Tech earned a point when Bartley Forrester outlasted Matthew Kress on the 20th hole.
Florida got its clinching point when Fred Biondi defeated Hiroshi Tai 1 up two days after Biondi won the individual title on Monday.
It was the first time the Gators reached the match play portion of the championship. It’s the fifth national title in school history, and first since 2001.
It’s also the first time a men’s team won the national title and had the individual winner since Oregon and Aaron Wise in 2016.