JACKSONVILLE, Fla. --- The Jacksonville men's golf team opened its spring competition season with a spirited team match against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Pablo Creek Golf Club. The Dolphins won the Pablo Creek Cup, 10-6, winning both the team and singles sessions by a score of 5-3.

Jacksonville has won back-to-back Pablo Creek Cups against the Eagles, taking last year's tournament 8.5-7.5.

Morning Sessions
In the morning the teams played a pair of nine-hole team matches. The first match was best ball, and the second nine was alternate shot. The two teams split into pairs of four to duke it out for the first half of the tournament.

Freshman Evan Raynor and sophomore Andrew Sevene played the opening matches against Georgia Southern's Ian Glanton and Elijah Zamarron. The Dolphins duo played all square in the front nine, shooting an even-par 36 as a team.

The Eagles took the alt-shot, with Georgia Southern taking the first match of the day 4&2. It wouldn't be long until the Dolphins tied things up on the scoreboard, though. 

Senior Tomas Hjalsted and sophomore Sean Lee won in best ball one up, thanks to a birdie on the Par 5 sixth. With a point already secured in best ball, the Icelandic and Singaporean tandem locked into a tight battle in alternate shot.

A Georgia Southern birdie on the Par 3 15th and a Jacksonville bogey on the Par 5 15th put the Dolphins down two with two holes to play. Hjalsted and Lee rallied, though, winning the final two holes to salvage the draw and secure half a point for JU.

The third twosome featured junior Will Harris and sophomore Andrew Morgan. The duo battled in best ball, leading by one or sitting all square through the first six holes. The Eagles pulled ahead at the end though to take the match one up. 

Despite the dropped points in best ball, Harris and Morgan shined in alt-shot. They went one up on 15, then birded the 534-yard Par 5 16th to go two up. On 17, they steered the ship with a par to win the match 2&1.

Jacksonville's final twosome was the winningest of the morning session. Sophomore Brandon Lohr and senior Daniel Montalvo took both matches, securing the 5-3 win in the morning sessions. 

The Dolphins shot a crisp three-under 33 on the front, but only won one up as Georgia Southern nearly matched them birdie for birdie. On the back nine, Jacksonville was even better. The Dolphins went one up on the tricky Par 3 12th hole, making a rare par on the hole.

From then on, Jacksonville kept its lead the rest of the match, winning 2&1.

Afternoon Sessions
After a brief intermission in the clubhouse, all 16 players returned to the opening tee box for singles matches in the afternoon.

Raynor, playing in the number two match, was the first Dolphin to bring a point to the clubhouse. He parred his first three holes, taking a three up lead early. He kept his card clean all round, finishing one under par and winning 3&2. 

Not 15 minutes after Raynor finished on 16, Sevene gritted out another win on the 18th green. The sophomore from Cary, North Carolina, went back and forth on the front nine, then he edged in front after the turn.

A par on 16 was enough to give him a one up lead with two holes to play, then he played all square into the clubhouse to secure JU's second singles victory.

Morgan delivered the most decisive result of the afternoon wave, taking his match 4&2. Despite the big win, the Jacksonville native had a slow start out of the games. He went two down on four, but got things going with a birdie on six to cut the deficit to one down.

After a par on the Par 4 seventh, the match was tied. On the turn, Morgan birdied the Par 5 10th to take a lead he wouldn't surrender. He played the next six holes at one under par, adding a birdie on 15. A par on 16 was enough to secure the match.

Montalvo and Harris played close matches the whole way down, with neither battle swaying more than one up either way. Both matches came down to the 18th hole. Montalvo bogeyed the final hole, tying the match. 

Harried parred his way into the clubhouse while his opponent bogeyed, saving half a point for Jacksonville. Hjalsted also tied his match, parring the 18th hole to go from one down to all square on the final scorecard.

Lee played an electric match against the Eagles Trace Carter. The Iowa State transfer finished with three birdies on the front nine and four on his round, but lost the match 3&2.

With the points squared at the end of singles, Jacksonville won the session 5-3.

Final Points
Brandon Lohr - 2.5
Daniel Montalvo - 2.5
Tomas Hjalsted - 2
Andrew Morgan - 2
Andrew Sevene - 1.5
Evan Raynor - 1.5
Sean Lee - 1.5
Andrew Morgan - 1.5
Will Harris - 1

Up Next
The Dolphins will stay in Duval County next week for the first full tournament of the spring season. Jacksonville will host the Sea Best Invitational at Atlantic Beach Country Club next Monday and Tuesday.