
Gators Finish Season at Williams Cup
Saturday, October 19, 2024 | Men's Golf
Florida tees off round one at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday at Eagle Point Golf Club.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Dates: Sunday, Oct. 20 - Tuesday, Oct. 22
Location: Eagle Point Golf Club - Wilmington, N.C.
Host: University of North Carolina
Course Par/Yardage: 72, 7,364 yards
Format: 18 holes each day
Tee Times: 8:15 a.m. on Sunday and TBA on Monday and Tuesday
Scoring: Golfstat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The Florida men's golf team wraps up the fall season at the Williams Cup from Oct. 20-22 at Eagle Point Golf Club.
LINE UP
No. 1 - Jack Turner
No. 2 - Parker Bell
No. 3 - Matthew Kress
No. 4 - Zack Swanwick
No. 5 - Rylan Shim
Individual - Ryan Hart
Individual - Parker Sands
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Florida will make its second appearance in the Williams Cup after finishing 4th in their debut last season.The event honors former UNC men's basketball coach Roy Williams.
COMPETING TEAMS (NCAA Rankings)
Arizona State (No. 4), Auburn (No. 3), Augusta, Florida (No. 16), Louisville, Missouri, N.C. State, New Mexico, host North Carolina (No. 8), North Florida, Notre Dame (No. 21), Oregon State and UNCW.
LAST TIME OUT
The Florida Gators golf teams won the Barbara Nicklaus Cup on at Muirfield Village Golf Club. UF wrapped up the final round against Charlotte where the men won 5-1 and the women tied 3-3 to total 19.5 points for Florida and claim the tournament title.
Two Gators won all three of their matches in Ian Gilliganand Jack Turner this week. Gilligan and Turner secured the final points for the Gators second victory of the tournament. After dropping the first hole, Gilligan gained control of the match and took four of the last five holes for a 2Up win. Turner made the turn tied and didn't drop a hole in the final seven chances behind three victories for a 3&2 win and move his all-time match play record to 5-0.
Parker Bell also went undefeated with record of 2-0-1.
A SEASON AGO
Following Florida's SEC and National Championship Titles, the Gators featured a new look lineup while three First-Team All-Americans - Fred Biondi (NCAA Individual Champion), Ricky Castillo and Yuxin Lin - all departed. Returning from the title teams was John DuBois and Matthew Kress.
After a shaky last fall, the Gators responded with five wins in the spring to total six on the season. Florida recorded consecutive seasons with six wins for the first time since 1973-74 and 1974-75. UF ended the spring portion of the season with five tournament wins and a 4th place finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, that featured Ian Gilligan winning medalist honors and earning an exemption into the PGA Tour's 2024 Shriners Open in October.
The Orange and Blue have now claimed 27 team titles under head coach J.C. Deacon in 10 seasons. It marked the seventh season under Deacon UF has won multiple tournaments in a year and fourth of three-plus. Six tournament wins in a season is tied for the most under Deacon, which came last season and included an SEC and National Championship.
The new look Gators left their mark in the postseason. At the SEC Championship, UF was led by true freshman Jack Turner, who posted a team-best T2 finish in his first conference tournament start. The performance ties the second-best finish by a Gator true freshman at the SEC Championship with Camilo Villegas, who placed T2 in 2001. Vanderbilt and Florida meet for the third straight season in match play SEC Championship with the Commodores edging out the Gators 3-2 in extra holes in the quarterfinals.
Moving to Regionals and entering round three in the final advancing spot by four-shots, the Gators shot a final round of 2-under to take 3rd and make the cut by 12 strokes.Through the first hour-and-half in the final rounds, teams battled rainy and cold conditions. Florida put together great start and setup for success when the rain stopped, with a combined 1-under on the first hole (#10) and was even-par on counting scores through the first five holes in the rain.
Florida made a charge in the final nine holes after finding itself 1-over at the turn and only a four-shot advantage over Indiana, who had just teed off its round its. The Florida separation began with a trio of birdies from Parker Bell, John DuBois and Ian Gilligan. Then Jack Turner put the Hoosiers and Mississippi State's comeback efforts out of reach with a birdie on six to go up by 10 shots and into fourth place.
At the NCAA National Championship, Florida concluded with an 11th-place finish and battled for back-to-back match play appearances. An important 1-under 287 third round on Saturday helped advance Florida to the final round of stroke play for the third consecutive season. The Gators started the day in eighth, and in the final match-play spot with a one-shot advantage. The Orange and Blue continued its streak of five straight top-11 finishes after winning the national title - 1974: 2nd, 1994: 3rd, 1969: T5 and 2002: T11.
SUMMER RECAP
Across the board, the Gators captured success this summer, highlighted by securing three spots on the 2024 Western Amateur Semifinals in Parker Bell, Ian Gilligan and Jack Turner. Gilligan and Turner met in a marathon final with Gilligan winning in the 29-hole final. The victory also marked a Gator sweep of the Western with incoming freshman Parker Sands winning the Western Junior.
Bell made his major debut in the U.S. Open and made the first birdie of the tournament and was the leader at one point. He shot a final round of 70 and led the field in driving distance of 346.9 compared to 310.9 in the first two rounds. The junior also finished 4th at the Southern Amateur.
Gilligan made his PGA Tour Debut at the Barracuda Championship, making the cut and finishing T40. He also was part of Team USA's victory at the Arnold Palmer Cup and reached the quarterfinals of the North & South Amateur.
Redshirt-freshman Rylan Shim closed out the summer with a 3rd place outing at the Canaidan Amatuer to go with a semifinals berth at the VSGA (Virginia State Golf Association) Amateur.
Ryan Hart collected medalist honors at Wykagyl Country Club to secure a spot in the U.S. Amateur.
PRESEASON RECOGNITION
UF was tabbed No. 8 in the Golf Channel preseason rankings along with Parker Bell and Ian Gilligan named preseason all-americans by the network.
Gilligan also earned a spot on the Haskins Award Fall Watch List and was tabbed No. 8 in the PGA Tour U Rankings to begin the season, he is currently rankd No. 11.
NEW GATORS
The Orange and Blue welcomed two new golfers this season in Parker Sands (Edmond, Okla.) and Zack Swanwick (Hawke's Bay, New Zealand). This summer, Sands won the 2024 Western Junior and the OGA (Oklahoma Golf Association) Junior Championship. Swanwick was the low amateur at the New Zealand Open and placed 3rd at the 2024 Austrian Masters of Amateur.
THE TURN
The Gators tee off the spring season at the Southwestern Invitational from Jan. 27-29 at Sherwood Country Club.
Dates: Sunday, Oct. 20 - Tuesday, Oct. 22
Location: Eagle Point Golf Club - Wilmington, N.C.
Host: University of North Carolina
Course Par/Yardage: 72, 7,364 yards
Format: 18 holes each day
Tee Times: 8:15 a.m. on Sunday and TBA on Monday and Tuesday
Scoring: Golfstat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The Florida men's golf team wraps up the fall season at the Williams Cup from Oct. 20-22 at Eagle Point Golf Club.
LINE UP
No. 1 - Jack Turner
No. 2 - Parker Bell
No. 3 - Matthew Kress
No. 4 - Zack Swanwick
No. 5 - Rylan Shim
Individual - Ryan Hart
Individual - Parker Sands
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Florida will make its second appearance in the Williams Cup after finishing 4th in their debut last season.The event honors former UNC men's basketball coach Roy Williams.
COMPETING TEAMS (NCAA Rankings)
Arizona State (No. 4), Auburn (No. 3), Augusta, Florida (No. 16), Louisville, Missouri, N.C. State, New Mexico, host North Carolina (No. 8), North Florida, Notre Dame (No. 21), Oregon State and UNCW.
LAST TIME OUT
The Florida Gators golf teams won the Barbara Nicklaus Cup on at Muirfield Village Golf Club. UF wrapped up the final round against Charlotte where the men won 5-1 and the women tied 3-3 to total 19.5 points for Florida and claim the tournament title.
Two Gators won all three of their matches in Ian Gilliganand Jack Turner this week. Gilligan and Turner secured the final points for the Gators second victory of the tournament. After dropping the first hole, Gilligan gained control of the match and took four of the last five holes for a 2Up win. Turner made the turn tied and didn't drop a hole in the final seven chances behind three victories for a 3&2 win and move his all-time match play record to 5-0.
Parker Bell also went undefeated with record of 2-0-1.
A SEASON AGO
Following Florida's SEC and National Championship Titles, the Gators featured a new look lineup while three First-Team All-Americans - Fred Biondi (NCAA Individual Champion), Ricky Castillo and Yuxin Lin - all departed. Returning from the title teams was John DuBois and Matthew Kress.
After a shaky last fall, the Gators responded with five wins in the spring to total six on the season. Florida recorded consecutive seasons with six wins for the first time since 1973-74 and 1974-75. UF ended the spring portion of the season with five tournament wins and a 4th place finish at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, that featured Ian Gilligan winning medalist honors and earning an exemption into the PGA Tour's 2024 Shriners Open in October.
The Orange and Blue have now claimed 27 team titles under head coach J.C. Deacon in 10 seasons. It marked the seventh season under Deacon UF has won multiple tournaments in a year and fourth of three-plus. Six tournament wins in a season is tied for the most under Deacon, which came last season and included an SEC and National Championship.
The new look Gators left their mark in the postseason. At the SEC Championship, UF was led by true freshman Jack Turner, who posted a team-best T2 finish in his first conference tournament start. The performance ties the second-best finish by a Gator true freshman at the SEC Championship with Camilo Villegas, who placed T2 in 2001. Vanderbilt and Florida meet for the third straight season in match play SEC Championship with the Commodores edging out the Gators 3-2 in extra holes in the quarterfinals.
Moving to Regionals and entering round three in the final advancing spot by four-shots, the Gators shot a final round of 2-under to take 3rd and make the cut by 12 strokes.Through the first hour-and-half in the final rounds, teams battled rainy and cold conditions. Florida put together great start and setup for success when the rain stopped, with a combined 1-under on the first hole (#10) and was even-par on counting scores through the first five holes in the rain.
Florida made a charge in the final nine holes after finding itself 1-over at the turn and only a four-shot advantage over Indiana, who had just teed off its round its. The Florida separation began with a trio of birdies from Parker Bell, John DuBois and Ian Gilligan. Then Jack Turner put the Hoosiers and Mississippi State's comeback efforts out of reach with a birdie on six to go up by 10 shots and into fourth place.
At the NCAA National Championship, Florida concluded with an 11th-place finish and battled for back-to-back match play appearances. An important 1-under 287 third round on Saturday helped advance Florida to the final round of stroke play for the third consecutive season. The Gators started the day in eighth, and in the final match-play spot with a one-shot advantage. The Orange and Blue continued its streak of five straight top-11 finishes after winning the national title - 1974: 2nd, 1994: 3rd, 1969: T5 and 2002: T11.
SUMMER RECAP
Across the board, the Gators captured success this summer, highlighted by securing three spots on the 2024 Western Amateur Semifinals in Parker Bell, Ian Gilligan and Jack Turner. Gilligan and Turner met in a marathon final with Gilligan winning in the 29-hole final. The victory also marked a Gator sweep of the Western with incoming freshman Parker Sands winning the Western Junior.
Bell made his major debut in the U.S. Open and made the first birdie of the tournament and was the leader at one point. He shot a final round of 70 and led the field in driving distance of 346.9 compared to 310.9 in the first two rounds. The junior also finished 4th at the Southern Amateur.
Gilligan made his PGA Tour Debut at the Barracuda Championship, making the cut and finishing T40. He also was part of Team USA's victory at the Arnold Palmer Cup and reached the quarterfinals of the North & South Amateur.
Redshirt-freshman Rylan Shim closed out the summer with a 3rd place outing at the Canaidan Amatuer to go with a semifinals berth at the VSGA (Virginia State Golf Association) Amateur.
Ryan Hart collected medalist honors at Wykagyl Country Club to secure a spot in the U.S. Amateur.
PRESEASON RECOGNITION
UF was tabbed No. 8 in the Golf Channel preseason rankings along with Parker Bell and Ian Gilligan named preseason all-americans by the network.
Gilligan also earned a spot on the Haskins Award Fall Watch List and was tabbed No. 8 in the PGA Tour U Rankings to begin the season, he is currently rankd No. 11.
NEW GATORS
The Orange and Blue welcomed two new golfers this season in Parker Sands (Edmond, Okla.) and Zack Swanwick (Hawke's Bay, New Zealand). This summer, Sands won the 2024 Western Junior and the OGA (Oklahoma Golf Association) Junior Championship. Swanwick was the low amateur at the New Zealand Open and placed 3rd at the 2024 Austrian Masters of Amateur.
THE TURN
The Gators tee off the spring season at the Southwestern Invitational from Jan. 27-29 at Sherwood Country Club.
Players Mentioned
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