Saturday, February 12
Gainesville, Fla.
7:45 a.m. (36 Holes)
Florida Gators
vs
VyStar Gators Invitational
The Gators aim to win the event for the third consecutive year and 28th time in program history.
Florida Host 45th VyStar Gators Invitational
Thursday, February 10, 2022 | Men's Golf
Action gets underway on Saturday at 7:45 a.m. at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Dates: Saturday, Feb. 12 - Sunday, Feb. 13
Location: Mark Bostick Golf Course - Gainesville, Fla.
Host: University of Florida
Course Par/Yardage: 70, 6,701 yards
Format: 54-hole strokeplay (36-18)
Tee Times: 7:45 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday
Live Scoring: Golf Stat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The Florida men's golf team gears up to host the 45th annual VyStar Gators Invitational this weekend from Feb. 12-13 at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.
FLORIDA LINE UPs
Florida "A"
No. 1 - Yuxin Lin
No. 2 - Ricky Castillo
No. 3 - John DuBois
No. 4 - Fred Biondi
No. 5 - Tyler Wilkes
Florida "B"
No. 1 - Giovanni Manzoni
No. 2 - Quentin Debove
No. 3 - Joe Pagdin
No. 4 - Ryan Hart
No. 5 - Manny Girona
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Gators have won their home event 28 times, including the last two years highlighted by Ricky Castillo who set the second all-time mark for tournament score at 197 (-13) in 2020. From 1987-2011, Florida won the annual event 20 times and nine consecutive from 1989-1997.
THE FIELD (Golfstat Top-25)
FAU, Florida (host), FGCU, Georgia Southern, Jacksonville, #24 Liberty, #23 LSU, Missouri, #3 Oklahoma State, Penn State, UCF, UNCW, #25 USF and West Virginia.
LAST TIME OUT
Florida opened up the spring season with its fifth title at the Sea Best Invitational and the third under head coach J.C. Deacon. Leading the charge were Ricky Castillo and John DuBois with each a 67 (-3) in the final round. A native of Yorba Linda, Calif., Castillo began the day with four birdies through the first seven holes, including one later on the 14th to give the Gators a one-stroke lead. DuBois (-1) finished tied for runner-up marking his best collegiate finish, which was previously T15 at the LSU Invitational last year.
Yuxin Lin recorded a hole-in-one on the 14th to notch his second of the season after sinking one at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational in the fall opener. The ace was followed by four birdies from Castillo (2), Dubois (1) and Fred Biondi (1) on the back nine to push the Gators to its largest lead of nine strokes and hold off Liberty who ended six strokes back in second.
Individually, Tyler Wilkes earned his best collegiate finish at T10 to tie for the top individual spot with Quentin Debove two strokes behind at T21. Ryan Hart (T50) made his collegiate debut and shot 2-under on the front.
DUBOIS SPOTLIGHT
Backed behind a career outing in the spring opener, John DuBois was named the first SEC Men's Golfer of the Week on Thursday. The honor is the first of his career with the last Gator to earn the accolade being Ricky Castillo in 2020.
OFF-SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Fred Biondi rode the momentum into the off-season and finished tied for runner-up at the 2022 Latin Ameria Amateur Championship (LAAC). In his fourth consecutive appearance at the tournament, his 65 (-7) in round three on moving day tied the tournament course record and moved him into second on the final day, jumping 14 spots. With the performance, Biondi will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open and the U.S. Open Championship.
Concluding his 2021 strong, Quentin Debove had a runner-up finish at the Dixie Amateur and T3 outing at the Sunshine State Am. Freshman Matthew Kress started the new year with a 5-under top-15 placement in the Saguaro Am Series and a trio of Gators had rounds in the 60's to make the cut at the South Beach Am in John DuBois (67), Biondi (68) and Tyler Wilkes (69).
Both Joe Pagdin and Wilkes got to compete in marque tournaments as Pagdin represented Team England at The Spirit and Wilkes competed in the Patriot All-America, honoring fallen heroes.
PRESEASON RANKINGS & RECOGNITION
The Gators earned preseason recognition and were selected 8th in the Golf Channel/Golf Weekly and T17th by GCAA Preseason Polls. Ricky Castillo was 4th overall in the Top 30 Preseason Players by Golf Channel/Golf Weekly.
COACH DUDLEY
In the fall, head coach J.C. Deacon announced the addition of Dudley Hart as the next assistant coach. The Gator Great spent the last four seasons as the volunteer assistant coach. He was four-time All American, the 1987 SEC Freshman of the Year and a two-time PGA Tour winner.
NEW GATORS
The Florida men's golf team added two new faces this season in Miguel Leal (Guatemala City, Guatemala) and Matthew Kress (Saratoga, Calif.) Leal won the 2020 Billy Horschel Junior Championship and was a two-time winner (2019-20) of the Central American Junior Tournament. Kress attended Bellarmine College Prep and shot 11-under par to win the FCG Encinitas Junior Championship. He was a 2018 First Team All-League WCAL and helped his school win the 2018 WCAL Championships.
THE TURN
The Orange and Blue head out west to the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas from Feb. 27-March 1.
Dates: Saturday, Feb. 12 - Sunday, Feb. 13
Location: Mark Bostick Golf Course - Gainesville, Fla.
Host: University of Florida
Course Par/Yardage: 70, 6,701 yards
Format: 54-hole strokeplay (36-18)
Tee Times: 7:45 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday
Live Scoring: Golf Stat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The Florida men's golf team gears up to host the 45th annual VyStar Gators Invitational this weekend from Feb. 12-13 at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.
FLORIDA LINE UPs
Florida "A"
No. 1 - Yuxin Lin
No. 2 - Ricky Castillo
No. 3 - John DuBois
No. 4 - Fred Biondi
No. 5 - Tyler Wilkes
Florida "B"
No. 1 - Giovanni Manzoni
No. 2 - Quentin Debove
No. 3 - Joe Pagdin
No. 4 - Ryan Hart
No. 5 - Manny Girona
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Gators have won their home event 28 times, including the last two years highlighted by Ricky Castillo who set the second all-time mark for tournament score at 197 (-13) in 2020. From 1987-2011, Florida won the annual event 20 times and nine consecutive from 1989-1997.
THE FIELD (Golfstat Top-25)
FAU, Florida (host), FGCU, Georgia Southern, Jacksonville, #24 Liberty, #23 LSU, Missouri, #3 Oklahoma State, Penn State, UCF, UNCW, #25 USF and West Virginia.
LAST TIME OUT
Florida opened up the spring season with its fifth title at the Sea Best Invitational and the third under head coach J.C. Deacon. Leading the charge were Ricky Castillo and John DuBois with each a 67 (-3) in the final round. A native of Yorba Linda, Calif., Castillo began the day with four birdies through the first seven holes, including one later on the 14th to give the Gators a one-stroke lead. DuBois (-1) finished tied for runner-up marking his best collegiate finish, which was previously T15 at the LSU Invitational last year.
Yuxin Lin recorded a hole-in-one on the 14th to notch his second of the season after sinking one at the OFCC/Fighting Illini Invitational in the fall opener. The ace was followed by four birdies from Castillo (2), Dubois (1) and Fred Biondi (1) on the back nine to push the Gators to its largest lead of nine strokes and hold off Liberty who ended six strokes back in second.
Individually, Tyler Wilkes earned his best collegiate finish at T10 to tie for the top individual spot with Quentin Debove two strokes behind at T21. Ryan Hart (T50) made his collegiate debut and shot 2-under on the front.
DUBOIS SPOTLIGHT
Backed behind a career outing in the spring opener, John DuBois was named the first SEC Men's Golfer of the Week on Thursday. The honor is the first of his career with the last Gator to earn the accolade being Ricky Castillo in 2020.
OFF-SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Fred Biondi rode the momentum into the off-season and finished tied for runner-up at the 2022 Latin Ameria Amateur Championship (LAAC). In his fourth consecutive appearance at the tournament, his 65 (-7) in round three on moving day tied the tournament course record and moved him into second on the final day, jumping 14 spots. With the performance, Biondi will be exempt into the final stages of qualifying for The Open and the U.S. Open Championship.
Concluding his 2021 strong, Quentin Debove had a runner-up finish at the Dixie Amateur and T3 outing at the Sunshine State Am. Freshman Matthew Kress started the new year with a 5-under top-15 placement in the Saguaro Am Series and a trio of Gators had rounds in the 60's to make the cut at the South Beach Am in John DuBois (67), Biondi (68) and Tyler Wilkes (69).
Both Joe Pagdin and Wilkes got to compete in marque tournaments as Pagdin represented Team England at The Spirit and Wilkes competed in the Patriot All-America, honoring fallen heroes.
PRESEASON RANKINGS & RECOGNITION
The Gators earned preseason recognition and were selected 8th in the Golf Channel/Golf Weekly and T17th by GCAA Preseason Polls. Ricky Castillo was 4th overall in the Top 30 Preseason Players by Golf Channel/Golf Weekly.
COACH DUDLEY
In the fall, head coach J.C. Deacon announced the addition of Dudley Hart as the next assistant coach. The Gator Great spent the last four seasons as the volunteer assistant coach. He was four-time All American, the 1987 SEC Freshman of the Year and a two-time PGA Tour winner.
NEW GATORS
The Florida men's golf team added two new faces this season in Miguel Leal (Guatemala City, Guatemala) and Matthew Kress (Saratoga, Calif.) Leal won the 2020 Billy Horschel Junior Championship and was a two-time winner (2019-20) of the Central American Junior Tournament. Kress attended Bellarmine College Prep and shot 11-under par to win the FCG Encinitas Junior Championship. He was a 2018 First Team All-League WCAL and helped his school win the 2018 WCAL Championships.
THE TURN
The Orange and Blue head out west to the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas from Feb. 27-March 1.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Golf
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/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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