UF's Horschel joins select company with Amateur win
By Wire services
Published August 23, 2006
CHASKA, Minn. - Florida sophomore Billy Horschel joined the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples on Tuesday when he captured the individual medal at the 106th U.S. Amateur Championship with a two-day score of 5-under-par 138.
Horschel, who claimed medalist honors at the 2006 NCAA West Regional, is the first Gator to earn the individual medal at the U.S. Amateur since Brian Gay in 1993. He was 6-over 78 at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Monday at the country's oldest golf championship, Horschel set tournament records for lowest 18-hole score and best first round with 11-under 60 on the par-71 Chaska Town Course.
"Being in the company of the guys who have won the medal at this tournament before is something special," Horschel said. "To be the top guy out of 311 golfers feels amazing. I'm not in shock, but I'm overcome with joy."
Incoming freshman Andres Echavarria posted his second straight round of 2-over 74, which tied him for 55th.
Elsewhere
FOOTBALL: Oklahoma has banned its athletes from working at a car dealership where two players, including the team's starting quarterback, broke NCAA rules by accepting payment for more work than they performed.
OBITUARY: Hugh Edward "Eddie" Feely, a star quarterback at Gainesville High who went on to start at Florida State in the early 1960s and became a legendary high school coach in the state, died Sunday. He was 65. Mr. Feely, who was an assistant at FSU in 1973-74, went 159-55-1 at Cocoa Beach High, Merritt Island, Choctawhatchee High and Buchholz. He led three schools to 10-0 regular seasons. He retired from education in 1994 and, in 2002, was elected into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
