PALM HARBOR, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's golf team teed off with some of the nation's top teams this week, playing at the Invite at Innisbrook, hosted by Dalton State College at Innisbrook Resort in the suburbs of Tampa. The Gyrene men finished 15th in a super competitive field of 20 teams, and placed one golfer, senior Gabriel DeCasas, in the top fifteen overall. 

Ave Maria's team score lowered throughout each of the tournament's three rounds, a trend that began with an opening round 313. In his second tournament as a Gyrene, Alex Veneziano had the lowest AMU score at 76, while Ty Kaufman (77) and Matt Mullen (78) followed closely behind. DeCasas rounded out AMU's team score, shooting an 82 in the opening round.

After his uncharacteristic first round 82, DeCasas found his form in Monday's second round. The senior surged up the leaderboard with a one-under par 70, carding a round with four birdies and three bogies. Kaufman was again AMU's second scorer with a round of 74, while rounds of 82 and 85 from Veneziano and Pierre Westhoff rounded out Ave Maria's team score of 311.

DeCasas' strong play continued in the final round, when he again lowered his score to a three-under 69. The Oklahoma native again made four birdies, but dropped his bogey total to just one. In AMU's best round of the week, a 300, each of the four scorers broke 80, with Kaufman and Mullen both shooting a 77 and Veneziano following with a final round score of 78.

By shooting a four-under score in the final two rounds, DeCasas roared up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for 12th with a 220. Kaufman was second among Gyrenes with a 228, followed by Veneziano at 236, Mullen at 247, and Westhoff at 254. Dalton State won the team title by four strokes over Keiser, while the individual title went to Truett-McConnell's Jackson Stone, who shot a one-under 212.

The next time the Gyrenes take the course, it will be a historic occasion for the program - a home tournament. Ave Maria University will host the Gyrene Invitational, with play occurring at The National Golf Club in Ave Maria. Competing teams will play 36 holes on Monday, October 16, with the final round scheduled for the next day. Both days are set to begin with shotgun starts at 8:30 a.m. in Ave Maria.