Andy Zhang reacts to a putt on Friday at the Southeastern Conference Championship. (Photo: UAA Communications)
Timeline of a Champion
Friday, April 27, 2018 | Men's Golf
Gators sophomore Andy Zhang won a playoff Friday to claim the individual crown at the Southeastern Conference Championship.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Sophomore Andy Zhang closed with a flurry on Friday to force a playoff for the individual title at the Southeastern Conference Championship.
The victory was the first for Zhang in his collegiate career.
His timeline to the top:
April 25 -- 1:25 p.m.
Zhang steps onto 10th tee for his first tee shot of the 2018 SEC Championship.
A year prior, Zhang finished 63rd at 16-over-par in stroke play while falling in the deciding match of semifinals to Vanderbilt's John Augenstein. It came on the 21st hole of the match and would be the last playoff he would play in until today.
"Driving back to my first playoff hole today on No. 18, that's what I was thinking about. The last time I played in a playoff was here," Zhang said.
3:19 p.m.
Zhang birdies No. 18 to move to 1-over and tied for 18th on the leaderboard. This would be the lone birdie for Zhang on No. 18 as he bogied and parred in rounds two and three, respectively.
"Shooting 1-over in the first round wasn't great but, it was some of the tougher conditions of the week," Zhang said.
April 26 -- 9:00 a.m.
Starting off the back nine again, Zhang starts his day with a birdie and would be 3-under through six holes. He finished the day at 2-under and tied for seventh.
April 27 -- 8:10 a.m.
Zhang starts his day four shots back of leader Cecil Wegener of Ole Miss. After a tee shot into a waste area on the left, he would settle for bogey and back to even for the tournament.
"I didn't wake up this morning thinking about winning this tournament at all. I just wanted to play well and secure a match-play position. The first few holes I wasn't really feeling great," Zhang said.
9:00 a.m.
At the fourth hole things started to change as a shot into the green got the sophomore going. Zhang would par the hole to stay at 1-over
"I hit an eight iron and I felt amazing in the finish of the swing and I knew my game was on point today. At that point, I wasn't thinking about the win because I was so far off the lead," Zhang said.
12:40 p.m.
Zhang tallies four birdies in five holes to move to 5-under-par heading into No. 16. At that point, Zhang was one off the lead and the Gators had soared into third.
"I didn't see the leaderboard or hear any updates throughout the round, so I was just trying to play and make as many putts as possible," Zhang said.
1:26 p.m.
He caps off his third round with three pars to card a three-round score of 205 (-5) for the week. Zhang finished the day 4-under but at that point was still one off the lead.
"It wasn't until after the round when I saw the leaderboard and I saw there was a chance and (Wegener) ended up bogeying two holes and we headed to a playoff," Zhang said.
3:35 p.m.
Tied at 5-under par, Zhang and Wegener head to No. 18 for the first playoff hole. Both players had made par earlier in the day to finish their rounds.
"I was definitely nervous. I think most people that are in that situation are nervous, but you just have to trust your game. I didn't hit a great shot off of the tee, but it all worked out after that," Zhang said.
3:48 p.m.
Both players parred the first playoff hole sending them back to the No. 18 tee box. Last year, Alejandro Tosti captured his title in the second playoff hole with a par.
"I was definitely a lot more comfortable over the tee the second time. Then, I hit a pretty good iron shot going into the green but, the wind brought it up a little short," Zhang said.
4:04 p.m.
After another set of pars, Zhang and Wegener would head to a third playoff hole. It was hole No. 21, the hole it ended for Zhang in 2017.
"Going back to the par-3 (No. 17) I felt even more comfortable," Zhang said.
4:17 p.m.
Zhang hits a shot that lands just onto the fringe on the back of the hole. The ball nestled up next to a sprinkler head and after two separate drops, he had his second putt lined up with a little help from coach J.C. Deacon.
"Gordon had that same shot in regulation, so I got to watch how the ball reacted down by the hole. It didn't look that fast, but it was. I told him be careful , it's super fast and his touch kicked in. He hit such a great lag putt down there to three or four feet," Deacon said.
4:21 p.m.
Wegener hits his first putt to five feet from the hole. Still, he outside of Zhang and had to putt again. Wegener's putt just lipped out and left Zhang a putt for the win.
"I though he made it to be honest. I was thinking about just making mine and trying to force another hole, but it lipped out at the last second. It was shocking to me," Zhang said.
4:23 p.m.
Zhang sinks his putt to become the 24th Florida player to win the SEC Individual Championship and the second consecutive.
"It is still shocking to me that I have my first collegiate win at the SEC Championship. The feeling is just amazing," Zhang said.
The victory was the first for Zhang in his collegiate career.
His timeline to the top:
April 25 -- 1:25 p.m.
Zhang steps onto 10th tee for his first tee shot of the 2018 SEC Championship.
A year prior, Zhang finished 63rd at 16-over-par in stroke play while falling in the deciding match of semifinals to Vanderbilt's John Augenstein. It came on the 21st hole of the match and would be the last playoff he would play in until today.
"Driving back to my first playoff hole today on No. 18, that's what I was thinking about. The last time I played in a playoff was here," Zhang said.
3:19 p.m.
Zhang birdies No. 18 to move to 1-over and tied for 18th on the leaderboard. This would be the lone birdie for Zhang on No. 18 as he bogied and parred in rounds two and three, respectively.
"Shooting 1-over in the first round wasn't great but, it was some of the tougher conditions of the week," Zhang said.
April 26 -- 9:00 a.m.
Starting off the back nine again, Zhang starts his day with a birdie and would be 3-under through six holes. He finished the day at 2-under and tied for seventh.
April 27 -- 8:10 a.m.
Zhang starts his day four shots back of leader Cecil Wegener of Ole Miss. After a tee shot into a waste area on the left, he would settle for bogey and back to even for the tournament.
"I didn't wake up this morning thinking about winning this tournament at all. I just wanted to play well and secure a match-play position. The first few holes I wasn't really feeling great," Zhang said.
With that @AndytheZhang tee shot, all the #Gators are on the course#GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/cG4elXB4ln
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
9:00 a.m.
At the fourth hole things started to change as a shot into the green got the sophomore going. Zhang would par the hole to stay at 1-over
"I hit an eight iron and I felt amazing in the finish of the swing and I knew my game was on point today. At that point, I wasn't thinking about the win because I was so far off the lead," Zhang said.
12:40 p.m.
Zhang tallies four birdies in five holes to move to 5-under-par heading into No. 16. At that point, Zhang was one off the lead and the Gators had soared into third.
"I didn't see the leaderboard or hear any updates throughout the round, so I was just trying to play and make as many putts as possible," Zhang said.
#Gators 9-under in third
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
Zhang (-5) in second and one off the lead
2. Zhang (-5)
T11. Axelsen (+1)
T11. Neale (+1)#GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/FGUwOnNxXO
1:26 p.m.
He caps off his third round with three pars to card a three-round score of 205 (-5) for the week. Zhang finished the day 4-under but at that point was still one off the lead.
"It wasn't until after the round when I saw the leaderboard and I saw there was a chance and (Wegener) ended up bogeying two holes and we headed to a playoff," Zhang said.
Zhang finishes 5-under for the tournament currently in second#Gators (+3) sit in third after 8-under day moving ????? 5 spots#GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/hwQi7iYSQC
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
3:35 p.m.
Tied at 5-under par, Zhang and Wegener head to No. 18 for the first playoff hole. Both players had made par earlier in the day to finish their rounds.
"I was definitely nervous. I think most people that are in that situation are nervous, but you just have to trust your game. I didn't hit a great shot off of the tee, but it all worked out after that," Zhang said.
3:48 p.m.
Both players parred the first playoff hole sending them back to the No. 18 tee box. Last year, Alejandro Tosti captured his title in the second playoff hole with a par.
"I was definitely a lot more comfortable over the tee the second time. Then, I hit a pretty good iron shot going into the green but, the wind brought it up a little short," Zhang said.
Both players par and head to a second playoff hole #GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/VsOJf5BaPE
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
4:04 p.m.
After another set of pars, Zhang and Wegener would head to a third playoff hole. It was hole No. 21, the hole it ended for Zhang in 2017.
"Going back to the par-3 (No. 17) I felt even more comfortable," Zhang said.
Another set of pars and we head to a third playoff hole at No. 17 #GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/q5UmZHfQLp
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
4:17 p.m.
Zhang hits a shot that lands just onto the fringe on the back of the hole. The ball nestled up next to a sprinkler head and after two separate drops, he had his second putt lined up with a little help from coach J.C. Deacon.
"Gordon had that same shot in regulation, so I got to watch how the ball reacted down by the hole. It didn't look that fast, but it was. I told him be careful , it's super fast and his touch kicked in. He hit such a great lag putt down there to three or four feet," Deacon said.
4:21 p.m.
Wegener hits his first putt to five feet from the hole. Still, he outside of Zhang and had to putt again. Wegener's putt just lipped out and left Zhang a putt for the win.
"I though he made it to be honest. I was thinking about just making mine and trying to force another hole, but it lipped out at the last second. It was shocking to me," Zhang said.
4:23 p.m.
Zhang sinks his putt to become the 24th Florida player to win the SEC Individual Championship and the second consecutive.
"It is still shocking to me that I have my first collegiate win at the SEC Championship. The feeling is just amazing," Zhang said.
The WINNER ??????@AndytheZhang your 2018 individual champion#GoGators ??? pic.twitter.com/UbPt7lkIwF
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) April 27, 2018
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
SEC Champions - Men's Golf
Monday, April 28
One-on-One with J.C. Deacon - Florida Men's Golf
Thursday, April 17
Noah Kent Media Availability at The Masters
Tuesday, April 08
Gators Invite Recap 2-16-25
Wednesday, February 19
