Parker Sands (left) and Jack Turner (right) shake hands after the opening round of the NCAA Columbus Regional.
Sands and Turner sit one-two, Gators lead through round one in Columbus
Monday, May 18, 2026 | Men's Golf
Parker Sands had a career-low 66 (-5) and Florida is 7-under with a 12 shot lead.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The No. 2-ranked and No. 1-seed Florida men's golf team own the solo and team lead through the opening round of the NCAA Columbus Regional on Monday at the OSU Golf Club. Parker Sands turned in a career-low 66 (-5) to lead by three shots over teammate Jack Turner (-2) in solo second while the Gators posted a 277 (-7) for 12 stroke advantage.
Florida finished as the only team under par (-7) as the next best round was from Memphis at +5. The Orange and Blue are 17 strokes inside the top-5 championship, which takes place after 54-holes for spots in the NCAA National Championship (May 29-June 3). UF tees off round two tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. and are paired with Memphis and Florida State (+6). Across six regional locations, the Gators have the biggest lead.
Today's under par round continued the streak of nine straight team rounds and the 20th in 30 total rounds this season. All four postseason rounds have been in the red (-13, -11, -9 & -7). Last year, Florida shot an opening round of 9-under at the Bremerton Regional. The 277 was the third-lowest opening round at regionals by score in 2019 (275). This was the sixth straight regional round under par and the 10th in the last 13 rounds.
The first golfer to tee off the Scarlet Course, Sands set the tone with his career-best round. The sophomore made the turn bogey-free and 4-under in his first career round at regionals. He finished with six birdies with a pair of back-to-back on holes 3-and-4 & 15-and-16 for six total and only one bogey, which didn't come until hole 14. Playing in his fourth postseason round, all have been under par: 67 (-3), 69 (-1), and 69 (-1). He owns a three-shot lead.
Right behind Sands sits Turner in solo second, who had a round one of 69 (-2) with back-to-back birdies to finish his round. The duo were the only golfers in the field to shoot in the red today. After a bogey on the 11th, Turner was bogey-free and 3-under. In seven career rounds at regionals, five have been under par.
The final two counting scores were a collection of even-par 71s from Matthew Kress and Luke Poulter. For Kress, today marked his fourth regionals appearance and 49th career postseason round (counting match play). The two are both tied for 3rd.
Florida Scores
1. Parker Sands – 66 (-5)
2. Jack Turner – 69 (-2)
T3. Luke Poulter – 71 (E)
T3. Matthew Kress – 71 (E)
T20. Zack Swanwick – 73 (+2)
Team Scores
1. Florida (-7)
2. Memphis (+5)
T3. Stanford (+6)
T3. Florida State (+6)
5. Illinois State (+9)
-- Projected Top-5 Championship Cut --
6. Arizona State (+10)
T7. Wright State (+12)
T7. Cal (+12)
T9. South Carolina (+14)
T9. Long Beach State (+14)
T11. USF (+16)
T11. Oregon (+16)
T11. Utah (+16)
Post Round Quotes – Parker Sands
What specifically worked well for you today out there?
"I would say that my putter got really hot. I was hitting my line and they just fell in for me. Also I didn't get ahead of myself today and focused on the present."
Posting a career-low in you first round at of regionals?
"Well first, I'm glad I could do it for the team and put us in a very good position. Also, to prove to myself that I belong out here and get off to a great start."
Being the sub last year, how has that helped this postseason?
"It gave me a little fuel. Obviously, I was a little jealous not to be playing, but it was great to see what the guys did last year to get to nationals."
Florida finished as the only team under par (-7) as the next best round was from Memphis at +5. The Orange and Blue are 17 strokes inside the top-5 championship, which takes place after 54-holes for spots in the NCAA National Championship (May 29-June 3). UF tees off round two tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. and are paired with Memphis and Florida State (+6). Across six regional locations, the Gators have the biggest lead.
Today's under par round continued the streak of nine straight team rounds and the 20th in 30 total rounds this season. All four postseason rounds have been in the red (-13, -11, -9 & -7). Last year, Florida shot an opening round of 9-under at the Bremerton Regional. The 277 was the third-lowest opening round at regionals by score in 2019 (275). This was the sixth straight regional round under par and the 10th in the last 13 rounds.
The first golfer to tee off the Scarlet Course, Sands set the tone with his career-best round. The sophomore made the turn bogey-free and 4-under in his first career round at regionals. He finished with six birdies with a pair of back-to-back on holes 3-and-4 & 15-and-16 for six total and only one bogey, which didn't come until hole 14. Playing in his fourth postseason round, all have been under par: 67 (-3), 69 (-1), and 69 (-1). He owns a three-shot lead.
Right behind Sands sits Turner in solo second, who had a round one of 69 (-2) with back-to-back birdies to finish his round. The duo were the only golfers in the field to shoot in the red today. After a bogey on the 11th, Turner was bogey-free and 3-under. In seven career rounds at regionals, five have been under par.
The final two counting scores were a collection of even-par 71s from Matthew Kress and Luke Poulter. For Kress, today marked his fourth regionals appearance and 49th career postseason round (counting match play). The two are both tied for 3rd.
Florida Scores
1. Parker Sands – 66 (-5)
2. Jack Turner – 69 (-2)
T3. Luke Poulter – 71 (E)
T3. Matthew Kress – 71 (E)
T20. Zack Swanwick – 73 (+2)
Team Scores
1. Florida (-7)
2. Memphis (+5)
T3. Stanford (+6)
T3. Florida State (+6)
5. Illinois State (+9)
-- Projected Top-5 Championship Cut --
6. Arizona State (+10)
T7. Wright State (+12)
T7. Cal (+12)
T9. South Carolina (+14)
T9. Long Beach State (+14)
T11. USF (+16)
T11. Oregon (+16)
T11. Utah (+16)
Post Round Quotes – Parker Sands
What specifically worked well for you today out there?
"I would say that my putter got really hot. I was hitting my line and they just fell in for me. Also I didn't get ahead of myself today and focused on the present."
Posting a career-low in you first round at of regionals?
"Well first, I'm glad I could do it for the team and put us in a very good position. Also, to prove to myself that I belong out here and get off to a great start."
Being the sub last year, how has that helped this postseason?
"It gave me a little fuel. Obviously, I was a little jealous not to be playing, but it was great to see what the guys did last year to get to nationals."
Players Mentioned
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