Swanwick shoots 3-under, Gators T12 through opening round

Friday, May 29

Carlsbad, Calif. / Omni La Costa: North Course

2:50 p.m. (18 holes)

Florida Gators

NCAA National Championships

Zack Swanwick lines up his putt during the opening round of the NCAA National Championship

Swanwick shoots 3-under, Gators T12 through opening round

Friday, May 29, 2026 | Men's Golf

Team Leaderboard Player Leaderboard Photo Gallery

Sophomore Zack Swanwick is tied for 9th (-3) and the Gators tee off tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

By: Matthew Hutchison

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Florida men's golfer Zack Swanwick led the group in the opening round of the NCAA National Championship with a 3-under 69 and is tied for 9th. The Gators finished with a 291 (+3) and are tied for 12th, and tee off tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

Coverage of the second round can be streamed free live on babygrandegolf.com beginning at 12:30 p.m.

There will be a 54-hole cut of the top-15 teams on and nine individuals on a non-advancing team on Sunday to earn a spot and play in the final round of stroke play on Monday. After the final 18 holes, the top-8 teams will advance to match play and a 72-hole individual national champion is crowned. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format features the quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, followed by the finals on Wednesday.

Florida owned an early 2-over start once all five golfers teed off the North Course at Omni La Costa. The group responded, and between holes 12-17, they played 2-under, but four counting bogeys on the 18th moved the Gators to 4-over as all five made the turn. The No. 2 ranked team responded led by Swanwick (3-under) and Matthew Kress (1-under) in the final nine holes for a 1-under team score.

The 3-under round was a career-best at NCAAs for the Hawke's Bay, New Zealand native as it was the fifth par or better round in seven total this postseason. Last year, Swanwick opened with a 1-under 70 en route to a T27 in his freshman season. He is three strokes back of individual leaders Ian Maspat of San Diego, Connor Williams of Arizona State and Alabama's William Jennings.

Playing his fourth National Championship and his 18^th round overall at the tournament, logged an even-par 72. It also was his fifth even or better round this postseason. He made back-to-back birdies on holes six and seven, going 4-under bogey-free across the difficult stretch of holes 6-9, which features the second and third hardest playing holes.

The next two counting scores came today was Jack Turner with a 74 (+2) and Luke Poulter at 76 (+4) as the non-counter was from Parker Sands in 78 (+6).

Florida Scores
T9. Zack Swanwick - 69 (-3)
T35. Matthew Kress - 72 (E)
T74. Jack Turner - 74 (+2)
T100. Luke Poulter - 76 (+4)
T134. Parker Sands - 78 (+6)

Team Leaderboard
1. UCLA (-8)
2. Auburn (-6)
3. Pepperdine (-3)
T4. Duke (-2)
T4. San Diego (-2)
T6. Texas (-1)
T6. Arizona (-1)
T6. North Carolina (-1)
T6. Vanderbilt (-1)
T10. Arkansas (E)
T10. Virginia (E)
T12. Florida (+3)
T12. Arizona State (+3)
T12. Stanford (+3)
T15. Oklahoma (+4)
T15. Georgia (+4)
T15. Tennessee (+4)
T18. Chattanooga (+6)
T18. Louisville (+6)
T20. Arkansas State (+7)
T20. Oklahoma State (+7)
T22. Purdue (+8)
T22. BYU (+8)
24. USC (+9)
25. Mississippi State (+10)
26. Texas A&M (+11)
27. Memphis (+13)
T28. Ole Miss (+15)
T28. LSU (+15)
30. Florida State (+19)