PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 5 ranked UWF men's golf team has won the Gulf South Conference title a record 18 times since joining the league 27 years ago in 1995 but saw its string of eight-consecutive come to an end 52 weeks ago. The 2023 squad will go head-to-head against defending champion and third-ranked Lee this week in Mobile, Alabama.
 
UWF has competed in nine events this season and finished in the top eight in each one. The Argos have six top two efforts and a pair of team titles, including at the Argonaut Invitational two weeks ago. 
 
UWF has a 287.72 stroke average which is currently fourth in program history.
 
Individually, an Argo has won the medalist title 14 times, most recently by Elias Haavisto the last two years, including with a GSC record 203, 13-under-par in 2021. He is one of six 2-time winners in league history and looking to become the first 3-time victor.
 
UWF will be paired with Lee and Shorter in Sunday's opening round, which begins off No. 1 at 8:15 a.m. The men's tournament is being played on the RTJ Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove Crossings Course for the fourth-consecutive championship. There wasn't a tournament in 2020.
 
The Crossings Course will play to a par 72 and a length of 7,212 yards.
 
2023 UWF Lineup 
Elias Haavisto
Jr., Kotka, Finland
Golfstat Rating: 4th in NCAA; 2nd in GSC
2023: No. 4 rated player in the country ... 70.84 stroke average over 25 rounds/9 events ... Has 8 top-10s & 1 win in those 9 events ... 17 of 25 rounds at par or better & 10 in the 60s ... 2-time GSC Medalist - 1 of just 6 all-time.
GSC Championship History
2021 – 67-65-71=203, 1st (GSC record 203, 13-under-par)
2022 – 75-64-68=207, 1st
 
Felipe Garces Garzon
Sr., Quito, Ecuador
Golfstat Rating: 26th in NCAA; 3rd in GSC
2023: 72.0 stroke avg. over 25 rounds and 9 events ... 14 of 25 rounds at par or better & 7 in the 60s ... Has 4 top-10s and 1 individual title.
GSC Championship History
2022 – 74-76-69=219, t-13th
 
Patrick Poate
Grad., Niceville, Fla.
Golfstat Rating: 130th in NCAA; 9th in GSC
2023: 73.09 stroke avg. over 22 rounds & 8 events ... 8 of 22 rounds at par or better with 3 in the 60s ... 72.28 stroke avg. in the last seven rounds.
GSC Championship History
2022 – 74-72-79=225, t-27th
 
Cameron Bonner
Sr., Pensacola, Fla.
Golfstat Rating: 85th in NCAA; 10th in GSC
2023: 73.68 stroke avg. over 25 rounds & 9 events ... Has 4 top-15 finishes ... 9 rounds at par or better ... Has 23 of 25 rounds in the 60s or 70s.
GSC Championship History
2021 – 73-74-79=226, t-30th
2022 – 70-73-71=214, t-5th

Cooper Tendick
Fr., Kennesaw, Ga.
Golfstat Rating: 83rd in NCAA; 8th in GSC
2023: 72.69 stroke avg. over 13 rounds and 5 events ... 72.57 Spring stroke avg. ... 7 of 13 rounds at par or better, including 5 of the last 7 ... Ranks 90th in the country in stroke avg. & 11th among freshmen.
GSC Championship History
First appearance
 
Did You Know: UWF and a UWF student-athlete hold every GSC Championship record listed in the league record book. Two years ago UWF established conference marks for Low First Round (281, tied the 2017 UWF record), Second Round (274, bested the 1997 UWF team of 275) and 54-Hole Total (840, broke the 42-year mark of 850 by 1979 Nicholls State).