Sunday, April 6
Naples, Fla. / Calusa Pines Golf Club
12:30 p.m. (18 holes)
Florida Gators
at
Calusa Cup
Florida Finishes Regular Season at Calusa Cup
Friday, April 4, 2025 | Men's Golf
The Gators will defend its team title in the final tune up before the postseason at Calusa Pines.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Dates: Sunday, April 6 - Tuesday, April 8
Location: Calusa Pines - Naples, Fla.
Host: University of Iowa
Course Par/Yardage: 72 / 7,320 yards
Format: 18 holes each day
Tee Times: 11:45 a.m. on Sunday and Monday, 8 a.m. on Tuesday
Scoring: Golfstat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The No. 12/10 Florida men's golf team finishes the regular season, looking to defend its title at the Calusa Cup.
LINE UP
No. 1 - Ian Gilligan
No. 2 - Jack Turner
No. 3 - Luke Poulter
No. 4 - Matthew Kress
No. 5 - Zack Swanwick
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Florida won the tournament last season by six shots, led by four Gators who will play in the event again in Jack Turner (3rd), Matthew Kress (8th), Ian Gilligan (T16) and Luke Poulter (T16). In 2022, Fred Biondi won the individual title at 5-under 211 as Uf finished runner-up.
COMPETING TEAMS (NCAA Rankings as of April 2)
Iowa, No. 12 Florida, No. 37 Louisville, No. 4 LSU, Miami (OH), No. 38 Purdue, No. 10 UCLA, No. 8 Virginia and No. 46 Wake Forest.
LAST TIME OUT
Luke Poulter captured his first collegiate title behind a birdie on the 18th hole at the Schenkel Invitational. The Gators finished runner-up at 21-under as Ian Gilligan also placed second individually.
The third-year Gator, Poulter, led through all three rounds before finding himself tied on the final hole in the 45th annual Schenkel Invitational. He made his final of nine birdies to secure medalist honors and become the sixth Gator to win at the tournament, joining Andy Bean, Matt Every, Phil Hancock, Steve Scott and Bank Vongvanij.
Poulter finished 8-under through 54-holes, which consisted of 41 pars, nine birdies, an eagle and only three bogeys. He shot a final round of even par 72 to total seven rounds of par or better in 12 rounds this spring.
Florida logged a final team round of 10-under to finish 21-under for the weekend and a single stroke back from team champion No. 12 Utah (-22), who shot 11-under today to edge out the Gators. The second place finish is the second for UF this season and seventh top-5.
Firing a final round of 4-under 68, Ian Gilligan finished a shot back of the first-time winner Poulter at 7-under. A six-time champion himself, Gilligan made six birdies in his final round with a stretch of four in five holes between 8-12. The outing was his second runner-up finish this season and 13th career top-3.
AWARDS, HONORS & MORE
The duo of Ian Gilligan and Jack Turner were both named to the Ben Hogan Award Watch List, the annual award given to the top men's NCAA college golfer. Gilligan was recently named one of 20 golfers to the Haskins Award Watch List.
Gilligan is also ranked No. 3 in the PGA Tour U Rankings after starting the season at No. 8 and No. 4 in the WAGR while Turner, a sophomore, is No. 28 in WAGR.
FALL RECAP
The Orange and Blue concluded the fall slate finishing top-9 in all four outings, highlighted by winning the Barbara Nicklaus Cup, finishing runner-up at the Sahalee Players Championship and shooting the lowest round of the fall (-11) in the final 18-holes of the first half of the season.
Individually, Ian Gilligan (71.0) and Jack Turner (71.1) paced the Gators in stroke average, top-10 finishes (2) and undefeated (3-0) in match play. Turner finished 4th twice and averaged -0.2 per round and -0.6 per tournament.
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.
Recently, Florida announced the addition of transfer Noah Kent from Iowa. He will compete for the Gators starting next fall and is from Naples and played at Gulf Coast Prep.
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 Canadian Amateur 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.
THE TURN
Florida begins first part of the postseason at the SEC Championship (April 23-27) at St. Simons Island, Ga. at Sea Island Golf Club. Following the conference tournament, the Gators will learn its NCAA Regional selection on April 30, live on Golf Channel.
Dates: Sunday, April 6 - Tuesday, April 8
Location: Calusa Pines - Naples, Fla.
Host: University of Iowa
Course Par/Yardage: 72 / 7,320 yards
Format: 18 holes each day
Tee Times: 11:45 a.m. on Sunday and Monday, 8 a.m. on Tuesday
Scoring: Golfstat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TEE OFF
The No. 12/10 Florida men's golf team finishes the regular season, looking to defend its title at the Calusa Cup.
LINE UP
No. 1 - Ian Gilligan
No. 2 - Jack Turner
No. 3 - Luke Poulter
No. 4 - Matthew Kress
No. 5 - Zack Swanwick
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Florida won the tournament last season by six shots, led by four Gators who will play in the event again in Jack Turner (3rd), Matthew Kress (8th), Ian Gilligan (T16) and Luke Poulter (T16). In 2022, Fred Biondi won the individual title at 5-under 211 as Uf finished runner-up.
COMPETING TEAMS (NCAA Rankings as of April 2)
Iowa, No. 12 Florida, No. 37 Louisville, No. 4 LSU, Miami (OH), No. 38 Purdue, No. 10 UCLA, No. 8 Virginia and No. 46 Wake Forest.
LAST TIME OUT
Luke Poulter captured his first collegiate title behind a birdie on the 18th hole at the Schenkel Invitational. The Gators finished runner-up at 21-under as Ian Gilligan also placed second individually.
The third-year Gator, Poulter, led through all three rounds before finding himself tied on the final hole in the 45th annual Schenkel Invitational. He made his final of nine birdies to secure medalist honors and become the sixth Gator to win at the tournament, joining Andy Bean, Matt Every, Phil Hancock, Steve Scott and Bank Vongvanij.
Poulter finished 8-under through 54-holes, which consisted of 41 pars, nine birdies, an eagle and only three bogeys. He shot a final round of even par 72 to total seven rounds of par or better in 12 rounds this spring.
Florida logged a final team round of 10-under to finish 21-under for the weekend and a single stroke back from team champion No. 12 Utah (-22), who shot 11-under today to edge out the Gators. The second place finish is the second for UF this season and seventh top-5.
Firing a final round of 4-under 68, Ian Gilligan finished a shot back of the first-time winner Poulter at 7-under. A six-time champion himself, Gilligan made six birdies in his final round with a stretch of four in five holes between 8-12. The outing was his second runner-up finish this season and 13th career top-3.
AWARDS, HONORS & MORE
The duo of Ian Gilligan and Jack Turner were both named to the Ben Hogan Award Watch List, the annual award given to the top men's NCAA college golfer. Gilligan was recently named one of 20 golfers to the Haskins Award Watch List.
Gilligan is also ranked No. 3 in the PGA Tour U Rankings after starting the season at No. 8 and No. 4 in the WAGR while Turner, a sophomore, is No. 28 in WAGR.
FALL RECAP
The Orange and Blue concluded the fall slate finishing top-9 in all four outings, highlighted by winning the Barbara Nicklaus Cup, finishing runner-up at the Sahalee Players Championship and shooting the lowest round of the fall (-11) in the final 18-holes of the first half of the season.
Individually, Ian Gilligan (71.0) and Jack Turner (71.1) paced the Gators in stroke average, top-10 finishes (2) and undefeated (3-0) in match play. Turner finished 4th twice and averaged -0.2 per round and -0.6 per tournament.
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.
Recently, Florida announced the addition of transfer Noah Kent from Iowa. He will compete for the Gators starting next fall and is from Naples and played at Gulf Coast Prep.
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 Canadian Amateur 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.
THE TURN
Florida begins first part of the postseason at the SEC Championship (April 23-27) at St. Simons Island, Ga. at Sea Island Golf Club. Following the conference tournament, the Gators will learn its NCAA Regional selection on April 30, live on Golf Channel.
Players Mentioned
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