UF MGOLF: Three Gators Earn PING All-Region Honors

Ricky Castillo earned his third straight honor while Fred Biondi collected the first of his career.

NORMAN, Okla. – Prior to the Gators start of round three in the NCAA Championships, Fred Biondi, Ricky Castillo and Yuxin Lin were named to the Division I PING All-Region Southeast Team, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCCA) announced Sunday.

The award is the third straight for Castillo, the second time for Lin, who earned 2020 All-West Region honors and the first for Biondi.

After jumping 10 spots yesterday to T14, Florida tees off round three at 2:20 p.m. ET paired with Georgia Tech and Texas A&M.

Fred Biondi<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14517&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=WhtddDtWEByi2f5sseitb-UcHDmBGDJnqwVZOnxZoomzBoHwf7vZ1xDQaSzhNyv4&s=aV-4zIVzu_jV2_SX61XwOulKvxmGaTIYClVRu6UMxH0&e= > | R-Jr. | São Paulo, Brazil

* No. 1 ranked player in Golfstat Cup Standings
* Ranked No. 4 by Golfweek and No. 8 by Golfstat overall
* Recorded two victories this spring

* Had two-runner up finishes along with a T7 and T25
* Finished runner-up at the Palm Beach Regional
* Posted a runner-up finish at the Latin America Amateur Championship
* Collected season awards:
* All-SEC First Team, Spring Haskins Award Watch List, SEC Co-Golfer and SEC Golfer of the Week and Golfweek Player of the Week
* Selected to the Arnold Palmer Cup International Team
* Team leader:
* Stroke average (69.9), 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 (7)* finishes and birdies per round (3.9)
* Shot lowest round (63, -7) and tournament (196, -14)
* The 196 at the VyStar Gators Invitational tied the tournament record
* Second on the team in birdies (93) and eagles (4)
* Have posted 14 of 24 rounds under-par this season
* 13 out of 21 in the spring
* 11 rounds in the 60s total and 10 in the spring
* A stretch of eight consecutive under-par rounds
* Only three rounds over par this spring and five this year
* Went undefeated (2-0-1) in match play at the SEC Championship
* Victories in the semifinals (4&3) and finals (2&1)

Ricky Castillo<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14518&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=WhtddDtWEByi2f5sseitb-UcHDmBGDJnqwVZOnxZoomzBoHwf7vZ1xDQaSzhNyv4&s=DMWxUk5lLtnacyUlIJLLcvwwvyXTN6Il6l6yvLiMnek&e= > | Jr. | Yorba Linda, Calif.

* Earned his third straight PING All-Region Honor
* Named to All-SEC Second Team for second consecutive season for his fifth conference honor
* Ranked 50th by Golfstat and 53rd by Golfweek
* Team leader:
* Under-par rounds (16), birdies (114), eagles (5), top-5 (4)*, top-10 (5)* and top-25 (7)* finishes
* 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
* 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
* Won 3&2 in the quarterfinals and 2&1 in the finals
* Has played in all 10 tournaments and 30 rounds
* Been the No. 1 in the lineup in eight of them
* Second on the team in stroke average (71.4), under-par tournaments (4), rounds in the 60s (10), birdies per round (3.8), average relation to par for 18-holes (-1.0) and 54-holes (-3.1)

Yuxin Lin<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14524&d=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=WhtddDtWEByi2f5sseitb-UcHDmBGDJnqwVZOnxZoomzBoHwf7vZ1xDQaSzhNyv4&s=-Tp1cOZ9Ank9LjxELX5tYPzvJlQbIoZnt6TR-6BT_Ak&e= > | Jr. | Beijing, China

* Earned his second PING All-Region Honor
* Ranked 60th in Golfstat and 61st by Golfweek
* Tied for team-lead in top-25 finishes (7) and under-par tournaments (5)
* Second on the team in top-10 finishes with four and lowest under-par round at -6
* Shot two hole-in-ones; in the season opener and spring opener
* Third on the team:
* Stroke average (71.5), average relation to par for 18-holes (+0.5) and 54-holes (+1.5)
* Went 2-1 in match play at SEC Championships
* Won 5&3 in the quarterfinals and 2&1 in the semifinals over No. 1 Sam Bennet (Texas A&M)
* Has played in all 10 tournaments and 30 rounds
* In the No. 1 spot once, No. 2 once and No. 3 eight times
* One of three players to play in each tournament and round
*Tied for team-leading

DI All-Region Southeast Team
Player

School

Garrett Barber

LSU

Albin Bergstrom

USF

Florida

Dan Bradbury

Florida State

J.M. Butler

Auburn

Ben Carr