WAVERLY, Ga.- The Ave Maria University men's golf team turned in a solid performance to open the spring season this Monday and Tuesday, as the Gyrenes teed off at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational. The tournament was played at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove in Waverly, and saw the Gyrenes finish in the top half of the field with a sixth place finish. Four of Ave Maria's five golfers finished in the top half of the field, led by a top ten finish from Alex Veneziano.

Veneziano's top ten finish started with a solid opening round of one-over 73. One shot behind Veneziano was Joe Hamilton, who shot a 74 in his AMU debut, just two strokes over par. Two more Gyrenes - Gabriel DeCasas and Matt Mullen - shot in the 70s as well, with both golfers carding a 77 to complete Ave Maria's team score of 301. 

The second round, which was also played on Monday, was Ave Maria's best of the tournament, with the Gyrenes posting a team score of 294 - only one shot behind national powerhouse Keiser for the best score of the round. DeCasas had the best Gyrene round of the tournament with a 69, with Veneziano remaining consistent with a score of 73. The other three Gyrenes in the field - Mullen, Hamilton, and Ty Kaufman - all carded rounds of 77 to aid an excellent AMU effort.

AMU's third round saw the Gyrenes shoot a 309 as a team. Ty Kaufman was the top Gyrene in the final round, with the Naples native carding a 76. Mullen and Veneziano were just one shot back at 77, while the team score was rounded out by a 79 from DeCasas.

Veneziano finished in the top ten with his 54-hole score of 223, a score that was just two strokes off a top five effort in a very competitive field. DeCasas tied for 17th with a score of 225, while Mullen (230) and Hamilton (231) were both in the top half of the field. Kaufman's overall score of 235 rounded out Ave Maria's play in the Peach State.

A strong second round proved to be the difference for Keiser, as the second-ranked Seahawks won the team title by four shots over (RV) Webber and five shots over host and 16th-ranked Coastal Georgia. The Warriors did not go home empty handed, though, as Vedant Sirohi won the individual title. Sirohi was the lone player under par in the tournament, going three under par to win by four strokes over Trey Fesperman of Coastal Georgia.

The tournament at Coastal Georgia will be the lone tournament in the month of February for the Gyrenes. AMU is back on the course next for the Keiser Kup, held March 3-5 at Okeeheelee Golf Course in West Palm Beach. Another strong field awaits the Gyrenes, with national powerhouse Keiser University playing host.