The Gators teed off the opening round of the NCAA National Championship yesterday at Omni La Costa and shot a 3-under round one to sit tied for second after 18-holes as the round was the lowest opening round by par since a 4-under mark in 2006 and lowest overall round by par since then in program history.

 

Advancing to its fifth straight national championship and only missing qualifying twice under Deacon in 10 total regional appearances, Florida tees off round two this morning at 10:25 a.m. ET as the top-15 teams after Sunday’s round advance to the final round of stroke play Monday and then the top-8 at the end of 72-holes earn a spot in match play. The NCAA Individual Champion will also be determined following Monday’s final round of stroke play as both Luke Poulter and Zack Swanwick are 2-under and four shots back of the individual lead.

Deacon has guided the Gators to five tournament wins this season, including winning his second SEC Championship in three seasons behind defeating the reigning national and conference champion Auburn Tigers in the conference match play semifinals. 

Florida continued its dominant postseason by winning the NCAA Bremerton Regional, the second by Deacon, at 28-under for the eighth lowest tournament score and third-lowest regional score in program history. The 28-under mark was the third lowest at regional play this season, only behind Auburn (-32) and Florida State (-29), who both played on their home course. 

The last time UF won both a team conference and regional title in the same season was 2011 as this is the fourth time both have been done in a season in program history – 1989 & 1992.

In the last four years with Deacon, Florida has won the NCAA National Team Championship, four NCAA Championships appearances, two SEC Team Championships, three SEC Final Appearances, NCAA Individual Championship, SEC Individual Championship, NCAA Regional Team Championship,19 tournament titles and 13 individual titles.

In 11 seasons with the Orange and Blue, Deacon has led Florida to 32 tournament titles 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.

The Gators have won the last three tournaments in a row this season and in the last four have combined for 82-under along with Luke Poulter winning medalist honors at the Schenkel Invitational, becoming the sixth Gator to win the tournament. 

At the Gators Invitational this year, Florida defended its home course for the sixth consecutive season behind a sweep with Ian Gilligan securing medalist honors for the sixth time in his career. 

2025 NCAA Division I Dave Williams Coach of the Year Award

Alan Bratton – OSU

Nick Clinard – Auburn

J.C. Deacon – Florida

Armen Kirakossian – UCLA

Bowen Sargent – Virginia