Florida battled in-and-out of the final match play spot all day before slipping out in the final three holes.
CARLSBAD, Calif. – The Florida men’s golf team ended its 2023-24 season in an 11th place finish at the NCAA National Championship on Monday. Florida entered the day in the final match play spot and battled in-and-out of it throughout the day before falling out in the final three holes.
An important 1-under 287 round three yesterday 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.
Teeing off the back nine, the challenging part of the Omni La Costa and playing over-par all weekend, UF was steady with a counting score of +2 approaching the final three holes, but moved out of the advancing spot with +3 mark and two double-bogeys on 18. The damage was limited however with birdies on 18 by the 5th-year senior John DuBois and freshman Jack Turner.
Florida made the turn to the front, chasing the final match play spot by four shots. The Gators regained its position with a 5-under stretch between holes five and six with consecutive birdies from Parker Bell and DuBois.
DuBois wrapped up his collegiate season and final round with a 1-under 71 for a T23 finish, his second top-23 finish at NCAAs; T18 in 2023. He played in 41 tournaments and 124 rounds for the Gators. The Orlando, Fla. native went 3-0 in match play last season at the National Championship, won the 2022 SEC Individual Title and clinched the 2023 SEC Championship team title with the winning putt.
After rallying back into match play contention and a two-shot lead, the Gators dropped down to 11th from +6 final three holes (7-9) with seven counting bogeys for a final round of 9-over 297 to miss by four shots and final tournament score of 1181 (+29).
Turner carded a final round of 1-over 73 to produce a 72-hole score of 3-over 291 and T23 performance. In his first collegiate season, he concluded with his third top-23 of the postseason; T2 at SEC Championship and T18 at NCAA Regionals. He becomes the sixth Florida freshman to finish top-23 at the NCAAs since 2001, joining ranks of Billy Horschel, Sam Horsfield, Matt Every and Camilo Villegas.
The final two counting scores were a 76 (+4) from Ian Gilligan and 77 (+5) in Parker Bell as Matthew Kress shot a non-counting score of 79 (+7).
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.
Quotes – Head Coach J.C. Deacon
On today’s ending and performance…
“Obviously, a tough way for the year to end, but I can’t feel anything other than pride when I think about this group. Dudley Hart and I challenged them big time from day one and they have done nothing but respond.”
On John DuBois’ career at Florida…
“John DuBois has been the epitome of that challenge. He’s had a rough ride this season and to battle all the way back and play the way he did for the Gators this week says everything about that special young man. I won’t ever be able to thank him enough for what he’s done for this program.”
On this season and moving forward…
“Our entire team has become hard working, resilient and successful young men. They have invested their everything into each other and our Florida Gators golf program. That’s all we can ever ask. Sometime it just doesn’t work out. Things didn’t go our way down the stretch, but played a lot of great golf this week to be in position with 3 holes to go. We just couldn’t finish it off and I know exactly how hungry that’s going to leave this exciting young team. We will be back.”
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