Men’s Golf Welcomes Iowa Transfer Furuya
Photos courtesy of University Iowa Athletics
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JUNE 13, 2018 – USF men's golf has added valuable experience to its reloaded roster for the 2018-19 season with the addition of junior Ryoto Furuya.
Furuya has transferred to USF after spending his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Iowa. The Alpharetta, Ga., native joins USF's incoming signing class that includes five freshman standouts – Albin Bergstrom, Amadeo Figus, Luke Gifford, Massimo Mbetse and Anthony Muttillo.
"We were lacking some seniority and some veterans. I think Ryoto helps us in that respect along with our seasoned returner in junior Kyle Flexsenhar," head coach
Steve Bradley said. "I think Ryoto is going to be a valuable addition for us for sure."
Furuya, who will arrive on campus in August, is already familiar with Florida playing conditions after becoming a state champion as a high school freshman. Prior to college, the two-time Saddlebrook Golfer of the Year also won the International Junior Golf Tour (IJGT) Tournament of Champions as a sophomore and earned runner-up honors the next two years.
Back he was an assistant at Florida, Bradley initially recruited Furuya, who was "one of the better up-and-coming juniors in the country."
"He's traveled the country and competed at the highest level internationally," Bradley said. "For him, it's an opportunity to get back to an area he's a little more familiar with."
At the collegiate level, Furuya has competed in 36 rounds the past two seasons and finished his 2017-18 campaign with a 73.71 scoring average. Since then, Furuya qualified for USGA U.S. Open sectionals after earning a share of local medalist honors at Orange County National in Winter Garden, Fla.
"He's gotten about two shots better from his freshman year to his sophomore year and he seems to be playing pretty solid right now," Bradley said. "It's great for us to be able to add somebody with collegiate experience."
Furuya joins an incoming USF class that includes a member of Sweden's national team (Bergstrom) along with four other junior standouts. Learn more about USF's 2018 signing class
HERE.
"With us having nine guys on the team next year, I expect qualifying to be very competitive and very spirited," Bradley said. "I think that's going to make them all better and push them to make each other better."
About USF Men's Golf
USF men's golf has captured the past four American Athletic Conference Championship titles in wire-to-wire fashion and made six straight trips to NCAA Regionals. The program is led by Steve Bradley, who has earned American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors the past four seasons. Follow @USFMGolf on Twitter for the latest information concerning the program.
