The award is considered the most prestigious award in collegiate golf, and is presented annually to the most outstanding male golfer.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida men’s golfers Fred Biondi<https://floridagators.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15418> and Ricky Castillo<https://floridagators.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15419> were named to the Preseason Haskins Award Watch List, Golfweek and Golf Channel announced Thursday.
Celebrating its 53rd year, the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel is considered the most prestigious award in collegiate golf, and is presented annually to the most outstanding male golfer. The winner of the oldest individual college golf award is voted on by players, coaches, golf SIDS, and select golf media members and will be announced in early June.
Both Gators have been named finalists for the award with Biondi last year and Castillo in 2020. The duo was also named in the Class of 2023 PGA Tour University Rankings<https://floridagators.com/news/2022/7/27/mens-golf-biondi-ranked-no-1-in-preseason-pga-tour-university-rankings-four-gators-in-top-25.aspx> led by Biondi at No. 1 with Castillo tabbed No. 19.
Florida tees off the 2022-23 season at the Fighting Irish on Sept. 4th.
2021-22 Season Recaps:
No. 1 | Fred Biondi<https://floridagators.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15418> | São Paulo, Brazil
* Collected season awards:
* PING First-Team All-American, Golf Week First-Team All-American, GCAA All-America Scholar, PING All-Region Team, Haskins Award Finalist, All-SEC First Team, Spring Haskins Award Watch List, SEC Co-Golfer and SEC Golfer of the Week and Golfweek Player of the Week, SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll
* Selected to the Arnold Palmer Cup International Team, becoming first Brazilian player in history
* Appeared in the Florida lineup a career-high 10 times
* Was top performer in the lineup six times and every spring tournament but two
* Won two victories in the spring with his career first at the VyStar Gators Invitational tying the tournament record at 196 (-14)
* Finished ranked No. 1 player in Golfstat Cup Standings
* Final rankings of No. 5 by Golfweek and No. 10 in Golfstat overall
* Team-leader Stroke average (70.1), under-par 54-hole scores (5), average relation to par for 18-holes (-1.0) and 54-holes (-3.1), top-5 (4), top-10 (5), top-25 (8) finishes and birdies per round (3.6)
* Second on the team in birdies (103) and eagles (4)
* Shot lowest round (63, -7) and 54-hole score (196, -14) on the team
* Placed T20 at the National Championships with a 67 (-3) in round three
* Went undefeated (2-0-1) in match play at the SEC Championship
* Had a runner-up outing at the Palm Beach Regional
* Posted 15 out of 28 rounds under-par
* Recorded 12 total rounds in the 60s and 11 in the spring
* Only had six rounds over par in the spring and eight overall
No. 19 | Ricky Castillo<https://floridagators.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15419> | Yorba Linda, Calif.
* Collected season awards:
* PING All-Region Team and All-SEC Second Team
* Appeared in the Gators’ lineup in all 12 tournaments for the third straight season
* In the No. 1 spot in the lineup eight times
* Team leader in under-par rounds (16), birdies (114), eagles (5) top-5 (4) and top-10 (5) finishes
* Second on the team in stroke average (71.4), under-par tournaments (4), rounds in the 60s (10), birdies per round (3.5), average relation to par for 18-holes (+0.4) and 54-holes (+1.3)
* Tied for lowest round under-par of the season; 63 (-7) at the Calusa Cup
* Had a stretch of five straight rounds in the 60s
* Finished Top-25 or better in each spring tournament and started spring T4-2-T7
* Was runner-up at the VyStar Gators Invitational
* Posted a record of 2-0-1 in match play at the SEC Championships with 3&2 in the quarterfinals and 2&1 victories in the finals
