LAKELAND, Fla. – Playing in its first tournament of the spring portion of the season, the No. 24-ranked Valdosta State men's golf team fired rounds of 294 and 286 for a 580 score at the Matlock Collegiate hosted by No. 27 Florida Southern.  No. 5 West Florida leads the 15-team tournament with a 17-under 559 score heading into Tuesday's final round. 
 
The host Moccasins of Florida Southern sit second at 10-under 566, while there is a three-way tie for third between No. 21 Cal State Monterey Bay, Barry and No. 17 Rollins at even par 576.  No. 28 Nova Southeastern sits sixth at 578, followed by VSU, Embry-Riddle (581), Saint Leo (582) and Tampa rounds out the top ten at 584.  The Blazers sit just four strokes out of third heading into Tuesday's round and there are eight teams eight strokes out of third overall. 
 
No. 41 Montevallo is 11^th at 587, followed by No. 39 Palm Beach Atlantic (589), Eckerd (592), Lynn (598) and Georgia College is 15^th at 609.  Individually, UWF's Per Ekelund, ranked No. 22 nationally, leads the field with a 9-under 135, while FSC's Colton Swartz is second at 8-under 136 and UWF's Fabian Wennerlof is third at 7-under 137.  No. 59 Max Barile of Florida Southern and Ryan Gear of Embry-Riddle are tied for fourth at 6-under 138. 
 
Blazer senior Chase Long is tied for 13^th with a 1-under 143 score on rounds of 72 and 71.  Long, ranked 61^st nationally, carded an Eagle on the par 5, 518-yard No. 5 hole in the second round, highlighting his round. Sophomore Alexander Nilehn is 20^th with an even par 144 on rounds of 72 and 70. 
 
Senior Brandon Cho is tied for 32^nd with a pair of 73s for a 146 score.  Senior Parker Highsmith sits tied for 52^nd with a 150 score on rounds of 78 and 72.  Junior Joshua Burki is tied for 68^th after rounds of 75 and 79 for a 154 score.  Playing as an individual, sophomore Landon Bassford is tied for 46^th after a pair of 74s for a 148 score. 
 
Check back with vstateblazers.com for complete results of Tuesday's final round.