Deacon Signs Four for 2020-21
Hannah Krulevitch
11/13/2019
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida men’s golf team added four student-athletes to its roster for the 2020-21 season, head coach JC Deacon announced Wednesday.
Ryan Hart, Jonah Leach, Joe Pagdin and Tyler Wilkes make up the Gators’ latest signing class and will join the rest of the team in Gainesville next year.
Ryan Hart | Naples, Fla. | Gulf Coast High School
Ryan Hart
Hart's Amateur Accolades
- Champion of the 2019 College Prep Series at UF
- Placed fifth in the 2019 Saddlebrook Junior Open
- Member of Gulf Coast’s Class 3A State Championship team as a sophomore
- Qualified for the 2019 US Junior Amateur
- 2017 Western New York Section PGA Junior Tour Player of the Year
Ryan Hart is the perfect final addition to our 2020 class. Ryan has always loved the Florida Gators and he brings a ton of talent to our roster. He drives the ball on a line and has developed an outstanding short game. He is going to benefit greatly from being around world class teammates every day. The Hart family is a big part of Florida Golf’s past and I’m so excited for Ryan to be a centerpiece of our future.JC Deacon, Men's Golf Head Coach
Jonah Leach | Windermere, Fla. | Olympia High School
Leach's Amateur Accolades
- Runner-up at the 2019 Florida Junior Amateur Championships
- Tied for 10th at the Billy Horschel Junior Championship
- Took fourth at the 2018 Jim Bell Memorial Junior
- Placed second at the 2018 AJGA Junior at Saddlebrook
- Placed 12th at the 2018 Jones Cup Junior Invitational
- Finished 17th at the 2018 Rolex Tournament of Champions
I am so excited we get to add Jonah Leach and his family to Florida Golf today. Jonah has an incredible work ethic and love for the game. He has continued to improve over the past few years and has become one of the most consistent junior golfers in the country. Jonah has fantastic fundamentals and is going to thrive in our highly competitive atmosphere. We are very lucky to be getting such a hungry and talented young man.JC Deacon, Men's Golf Head Coach
Joe Pagdin | Sheffield, England | Lake Nona High School
Joe Pagdin
Pagdin's Amateur Accolades
- Ranked 14th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR)
- Listed as No. 1 player in the Rolex AJGA Rankings
- Earned 2019 Rolex Junior All-American First Team honors
- Represented the England Boys Team in 2017, 2018 and 2019
- Semifinalist at the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur
- Went undefeated in 2019 Wyndham Cup East Team matches (4-0-0)
- 2018 Boys Amateur Championship semifinalist
- Azalea Amateur Runner Up in 2017 and 2018
Joe and his family committed to the University of Florida and myself more than four years ago. I am very proud of the relationship and trust we have developed. Joe is extremely talented and competitive. His experience with the England Golf’s National Team has elevated Joe to one of the better amateurs in the world, and he will immediately make our team better. He is close friends with many of our current players and will feel right at home when he gets started in Gainesville next August.JC Deacon, Men's Golf Head Coach
Tyler Wilkes | Tampa, Fla. | Gaither High School
Wilkes' Amateur Accolades
- Runner-up at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational Junior
- 2019 US Amateur Championship participant
- 2019 Won the AJGA Junior at Saddlebrook
- 2019 AJCA Foley Performance Academy champion
- Named as a 2019 Rolex Junior All-American
- Represented the United States at the 2019 Toyota Junior World Cup
- 2018 AJCA Jim Bell Memorial Junior champion
- Won the 2019 Florida Amateur Championship
- Placed first at the 2018 Orlando International Junior Amateur
- 2018 FSGA Junior Player of the Year
Tyler Wilkes is one of the finest young men I have ever recruited. His character and playing ability are going to have an immediate impact on our program. Tyler has won a lot at every level and had the great honor of representing the United States of America at the Toyota Junior World Cup this past summer. TW bleeds orange and blue; he’s going to be a phenomenal Florida Gator.JC Deacon, Men's Golf Head Coach
