CARLSBAD, Calif. – Florida women’s golfer Addison Klonowski shot a final round of 2-under in a T24 performance to mark the best finish by a Gator freshman at the NCAA National Championships in 20 years on Monday at Omni La Costa.

The redshirt-freshman joined the Gators in the spring of last season and redshirted before becoming a mainstay in the lineup in her first season of collegiate golf en route to earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors. Klonowski also secured both match-clinching points in the SEC Championship Quarterfinals (3&2 vs. LSU) and Semifinals (1Up vs. Arkansas). She was in the lineup for all 12 tournaments, including the No. 1 spot on three occasions and led the lineup in top-25 finishes (10) and under par rounds (13).

Klonowski’s round of 2-under 70 this afternoon produced a 72-hole score of 290 (+2) as she logged her third under par round of the postseason; 67 (-3) in Round 3 at SEC Championships and 69 (-2) at NCAA Regionals.

The Naples, Florida native made the turn 2-under and bogey-free after securing one of the final nine individual spots of a non-advancing team for the fourth and final round of stroke play yesterday.

She capped off her first collegiate season and Florida’s 2024-25 campaign with a birdie on the par4 ninth (365 yards). In her 72 holes, she made 11 birdies, 50 pars and 12 bogeys. Klonowski improved each round this week – 75 (+3), 73 (+1), 72 (E) and 70 (-2). She was one of 11 golfers today to shoot 2-under or better.

As a team, the Gators finished 17th in the nation this season, backed behind an all underclassmen lineup this year. Florida was the only team to travel a complete freshman-sophomore roster at the 2025 National Championships.

The young Gators captured five team titles this regular season and finished runner-up at the SEC Championship and T3 at the NCAA Charlottesville Regional, sending the Gators to the NCAA National Championships for the first time since 2019. Individually, freshman Jessica Guiser won the Gators Invitational becoming the second UF freshman to earn medalist honors at the 53rd Gators Invitational. Head Coach Emily Glaser was also named a NCAA D1 WGCA National Coach of the Year candidate.

The Gators qualified for the National Championships for the first time since 2019 behind sophomore Paula Francisco’s runner-up finish with a 54-hole score of 4-under 209, both career-bests, and just one shot behind medalist honors. Francisco led through the first two rounds and opened her second start in regionals with a career-low 4-under 67, her second of the postseason after the same mark in round one of the SEC Championship. She was tied for a tournament-best this week with 12 birdies and one eagle. The finish is the best by a Gator at an NCAA Regional since 2017 when Kelly Grassel won medalist honors in Columbus.

Florida had a final team round of 293 (+9) for a three-round score of 864 (+12) to finish tied for 3rd with host Virginia and earn a trip to the final tournament of the season behind an all underclassmen lineup of three sophomores and two freshmen while overcoming some heart breakers at regionals over the last four years, including missing by a shot in back-to-back seasons (2021 & 2022) and leading at the turn last year.

At the SEC Championship, led by a lineup of all underclassmen (three sophomores & two freshmen). The Gators reached the match play finals for the second time in program history since the format was added in 2018 after defeating the No. 2 seed LSU Tigers 5-0 and the No. 6 seed and No. 2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks 3-2. UF was edged in the finals 3.5-1.5 to the No. 1 seed and veteran (two seniors & graduate student) South Carolina Gamecocks.

All five in the lineup had key moments in the conference tournament as Addison Klonowski highlighted her first appearance with two match-clinching point victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals while firing a final stroke play round of 3-under 67 to help UF advance to match play. Paula Francisco placed T11 in stroke play and went 2-0-1 in match play with two big putts on the 18th, one to clinch a point in the semifinals and another to keep Florida’s SEC title hopes alive in the finals. 

In the fall portion of the season, Florida closed out the first leg of the season with back-to-back victories, including defending its team title at The Ally. The Gators shot a final round of 6-under to end 15-under for a six-shot victory over host Mississippi State.

Post Tournament Quotes – Head Coach Emily Glaser

“I am really happy for this group and all they accomplished this year. They really bought in from day one and made greats strides both on and off the golf course.

“I know this week left us motivated and hungry. We didn’t play our best this week but the experience was so valuable to our future.

 

“I am looking forward to seeing what is in the future for these young women and am proud to be their coach.”