This marks the fifth straight year the Gators have been a top-3 seed and in regionals and the seventh time under head coach J.C. Deacon. In 10 total regional appearances with Deacon at the helm, Florida has been a top-3 seed eight times and a top-2 seed five times. This is the third time Florida will play regionals in Washington with the previous trips in 2019 and 2021. 

The Gators have qualified for 35 of the 36 all-time men’s golf regionals and every year under Deacon as Florida won the inaugural East Regional (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) in 1989. UF has claimed a total of six team titles (1989, 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2018) and six individual titles – Brain Gay (1993), Brad Lehmann (1994), Camilo Villegas (2001), Billy Horschel (2006 & 2007) and Andy Zhang (2018).

The three-day event will consist of 54 holes (18 each day) that starts on Monday, May 12 at Golf Mountain Gold Club in Bremerton, Wash., hosted by the University of Washington. At the conclusion of play, the top five teams as well as the low individual finisher not on an advancing team will advance to the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. from May 23-28. 

 

A total of 81 teams and 45 individuals (not on a competing team) will play across six regional sites – Amherst, Va., Auburn, Ala., Bremerton, Wash., Reno, N.V., Tallahassee, Fla. and Urbana, Ill. Three regional sites will have 13 teams and 10 individuals and three will have 14 teams and five individuals.

Deacon led the Gators to their second Southeastern Conference Championship in the last three seasons and 17th in program history, No. 2 among all league men’s golf programs. The victory is fourth this season and the 31st tournament title under Deacon in 11 seasons. This is the third straight season of four-plus wins under him and the seventh season of multiple wins, including the last five consecutive.

In the last four years with Deacon, Florida has won the NCAA National Championship, two SEC Championships, NCAA Individual Championship, SEC Individual Championship, 18 tournaments titles and 13 individual titles.

 

The Gators won its 10th match play outing in the SEC Championship, ranking second-most in the conference behind Vanderbilt’s 13. In postseason match play, Florida is 12-4 all-time and 9-4 in the SEC.

Florida reached SEC Match Play Finals for the third time overall and in the last four years (2022 & 2023) by defeating the No. 6 ranked Oklahoma Sooners 3-2 in the quarterfinals and the No. 1 seed, No. 2 ranked and the reigning SEC and National Champion Auburn Tigers, 3.5-1.5 in the semifinals yesterday. The win against the Aggies moves the all-time series record to 3-0 in the conference tournament.

 

The Gator Golf programs have both reached the finals twice in the last four seasons. Florida is the only league school to have both its programs reach the finals two-plus times and do it in the same season, this year.

NCAA Bremerton Washington Regional (seeds)

No. 1 – Arizona State

No. 2 – Florida

No. 3 – Utah

No. 4 – South Carolina

No. 5 – South Florida

No. 6 – Colorado

No. 7 – Charlotte

No. 8 – Kansas

No. 9 – Colorado State

No. 10 – Kansas State

No. 11 – Elon

No. 12 – Coastal Carolina

No. 13 – Oral Roberts

No. 14 – Seattle

Individuals (seeded in the following order):

1. – Sam Renner, Washington State

2. – Lukas Boandl, Rice

3. – Mason Snyder, Loyola Marymount

4. – Cade Anderson, Loyola Marymount

5.. – Daniel Zou, Rice