RIO GRANDE, P.R. - Great opening rounds from seniors Nick Gabrelcik and Robbie Higgins lifted North Florida men's golf to start as the top team at the Puerto Rico Classic hosted by Purdue through the first round on Sunday afternoon.

The Ospreys finished with four total players in the top 17 of the individual leaderboard, headlined by Gabrelcik tied for second overall at 6-under 66. Higgins also had a stellar start to the early week with a 5-under 67 score to join Gabrelcik in the top five overall.

COURSE REPORT

Grand Reserve Golf Club (Rio Grande, P.R.)
Par 72 | 7,506 Yards
Sunday, Feb. 11 | 18 holes

SCORECARD (Osprey lineup)

1 - North Florida | 17-under 271
T2. Nick Gabrelcik | 6-under 66
T5. Robbie Higgins | 5-under 67
T17. Andrew Riley | 3-under 69
T17. Jason Duff | 3-under 69
T54. Filippo Serra | Even-par 72

TEAM STANDINGS: 15 Teams

North Florida (17-under), Tennessee (16-under), Iowa (14-under), Georgia (13-under), Oklahoma (12-under), ETSU (9-under), Ohio State (8-under), Purdue (8-under), Wisconsin (7-under), Minnesota (7-under), Virginia (6-under), College of Charleston (4-under), Ole Miss (3-under), South Carolina (2-under), Marquette (1-under)

ROUND REFLECTIONS

• Gabrelcik scored seven birdies, including a run of four out of five holes and two of the last three holes, to get to 6-under 66 on the day.
• The Trinity, Fla., native is second among the players in birdies with seven total on Sunday.
• Higgins had a bogey-less opening round with five total birdies, as three of the five came on par-five holes in his 5-under 67 start.
• The seniors are both top four among par-four averages with Gabrelcik at 4-under and Higgins at 3-under.
• Andrew Riley scored birdie in three of the first four holes of the back nine to total five birdies and a score of 3-under 69.
• Riley and Gabrelcik both had 2-under par-three scoring averages to be tied as the top marks through round one.
• Jason Duff was the fourth Osprey to shoot in the 60s ending his opening round with back-to-back birdies to mirror Riley's 3-under 69 score.
• Filippo Serra rounded out the group with three birdies, which included one on his last hole, to sit at even-par through the first 18.
• The Ospreys end their day of play for the first time this season as the leaders of the pack in Puerto Rico.
• UNF is the lone team with two players in the top five and one of two teams to have four in the top 17 overall.
• They also lead the field in par-three average (7-under) and total birdies (25), while being second in par-four average (12-under).

STATEMENT FROM SCHROEDER

"The guys played a very good round today to get us off to a good start. We got to go back out and do it again tomorrow, as scores will keeping going low, and we need to keep playing smart and making birdies."
-- head coach Scott Schroeder

UP NEXT

North Florida continues their week in the Puerto Rico Classic, as the move onto the second round starting at 8:30 a.m., paired with Tennessee and Iowa in a shotgun start off the first and second holes.