Senior John Holmes finished tied for 19th overall with a score of 222 (70-78-74) as he led the Kentucky Wildcats to a ninth-place finish at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Cats posted a three-day total of 893 (293-308-292) to finish 19 strokes behind Southeastern Conference foe, Florida. The Gators ended with a score of 874 (292-302-280) to claim the team title at Sawgrass Country Club. Florida?s Matt Every captured the individual title with a three-day total of 215 (71-73-71).

Alabama took second place with a total of 879 (297-291-291), followed by UCLA in third place with a score of 883 (292-300-291). Augusta State shot a third-round 288 to finish fourth (884), while Tennessee (886) and South Carolina (886) tied for fifth overall.

Senior Mark Blakefield and junior Matt Kohn tied for 41st overall with scores of 226, followed by sophomore Cale Barr (77-77-73) who tied for 50th. Senior Brandon Waldrop shot the Cats? low-round on Tuesday with a one-under-par 71 to tie for 65th with a total of 230 (76-83-71).

?I think this was definitely a step in the right direction for us,? said head coach Brian Craig. ?We still have a lot of work to do and we?re still a little rusty, but this was certainly an improvement over our last tournament. We should be hitting on all cylinders by the time we head to Puerto Rico.?

The Cats return to action Mar. 6-8 when they travel to Dorado, Puerto Rico, for the Hyatt Plantation Club Intercollegiate.

Mercedes−Benz Collegiate Championship ? Two Rounds
1. Florida ? 874 (292-302-280) +10
2. Alabama ? 879 (297-291-291) +15
3. UCLA ? 883 (292-300-291) +19
4. Augusta State ? 884 (293-303-288) +20
T5. Tennessee ? 886 (291-305-290) +22
T5. South Carolina ? 886 (286-306-294) +22
7. LSU ? 890 (288-307-295) +26
8. North Florida ? 891 (301-300-290) +27
9. Kentucky ? 893 (293-308-292) +29

10. Duke ? 896 (294-310-292) +32
11. Central Florida ? 899 (301-300-298) +35
T12. Coastal Carolina ? 902 (306-305-291) +38
T12. Georgia State ? 902 (293-318-291) +38
14. Arkansas ? 908 (300-312-296) +44
15. UAB ? 909 (299-309-301) +45
16. Northwestern ? 923 (308-320-295) +59
17. Florida State ? 930 (322-305-303) +66