Gilligan shares lead, Florida 15-under and two shots ahead at Gators Invitational

Saturday, February 15

Gainesville, Fla.

7:45 a.m. (36 holes)

Florida Gators

Gators Invitational

Ian Gilligan looks to capture his 6th collegiate win tomorrow and second as a Gator.

Gilligan shares lead, Florida 15-under and two shots ahead at Gators Invitational

Saturday, February 15, 2025 | Men's Golf

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The Gators have a two-shot lead over Oklahoma State and Ian Gilligan looks to capture his sixth collegiate win tomorrow.

By: Matthew Hutchison

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The No. 13 Florida men's golf team leads through 36-holes at 15-under with Ian Gilligan tied for the individual lead at 7-under at the Gators Invitational on Saturday.

Due to expected weather in the area, the final round is set for a 7:20 a.m. start time tomorrow at Mark Bostick Golf Course.

The Gators took the team lead at 5-under between holes 6-9 in round one and held the advantage throughout the 36-holes with a current two shot lead over No. 7 Oklahoma State (-13) followed by South Florida (-11). In the first round, all five UF golfers in the lineup shot par or better - Gilligan (-4), Parker Sands (-3), Luke Poulter (-1), Rylan Shim (-1) and Jack Turner (E). In the second set of 18-holes, four of the five continued the mark.

Florida's team scores of 271 (-9) and 274 (-6) sit one-two in rounds by score this season, as the Gators best round by par (-11) came in the final round of the fall finale at the Williams Cup.

Florida's lineup this weekend features four underclassmen: Jack Turner (Soph.), Luke Poulter (Soph.), Rylan Shim (R-Fr.) and Parker Sands (Fr.). The last time UF had at least four underclassmen in the lineup for the Gators Invitational was in 2021: Fred Biondi (R-Soph.), Ricky Castillo (Soph.), Yuxin Lin (Soph.), Joe Pagdin (Fr.) and Tyler Wilkes (Fr.). Florida won the tournament that year at 29-under by five shots over Georgia, Auburn and Vanderbilt.

The lineup also has four of the five in the top-19 and under par. Led by Gilligan at 7-under, the senior shot rounds of 66 (-4) and 67 (-3) to total five in the 60s and seventh of par or better in 10 rounds this season. He will look to capture his sixth collegiate win and second as a Gator. Across his 36-holes, he has made 21 pars and a tournament-leading 11 birdies.

Making his first career start in the lineup, Sands shot a season-best 3-under 67 in the opening round behind four birdies on the front nine. He recorded a second round of even-par 70 and is tied for 11th at 3-under 137. Tied with Sands is Poulter, who is playing in his second straight tournament after missing the fall due to injury. He had rounds of 69 (-1) and 68 (-2) while making 27 pars and six birdies.

A shot back of the two is Parker Bell at 2-under 138 in T14, who is competing as an individual this weekend. He shot a second round of 3-under 67, four shots better than his opening 18-holes. One stroke from Bell sits Turner tied for 19th at 1-under 139. The sophomore, Turner, totaled his team-best eighth round of par or better while securing career totals of 24 even or under rounds in 42 total rounds (57.4%).

Right outside the top-25 is Matthew Kress (+1) T28 followed by Shim (+3) in T39 with Ryan Hart (+4) and Zack Swanwick (+4) both tied for 44th.

Florida looks to defended its home course and event tomorrow, winning the event 30 times and the last five straight. From 1987-2011, the Gators won the event 20 times and nine straight between 1989-1997.