Today’s 16-under round two is the lowest Florida team round in NCAA Regional play since a 17-under final round in 2018 at the Watson Course in Kissimmee, Fla. That same regional was the last time UF was 25-under through two rounds and won both the regional team and individual titles.

UF has a nine shot lead over No. 1-seed Arizona State (-16) as South Carolina (-2), Colorado (+1) and Kansas State (+6) round out the top-5. In the final 18-holes, only two strokes or less separate for the final advancing spot with Charlotte (+7) in sixth as Utah (+8) and USF (+8) are tied for seventh.  

The Gators are 31-shots clear of the championship cut scheduled tomorrow after 54-holes as the top-5 teams and low individual on a non-advancing team will earn a berth at the NCAA National Championships at Omni La Costa from May 23-28. In nine regional appearances under head coach J.C. Deacon, Florida has advanced seven times and the last four straight seasons as the current streak began in Cle Elum, Washington in 2021.

Kress turned in a career-low and bogey-free 7-under 65 on day two at Gold Mountain Golf Club. Across his 36-holes, he has a tournament-leading 12 birdies, 22 pars and only two bogeys. He and Poulter battled in and out of the lead on the back nine as the two were grouped back-to-back today. Kress closed strong with back-to-back birdies on the 17th & 18th for a 4-under back nine.  

Poulter had a bogey-free round two of 5-under 67 for his eighth round and third consecutive in the 60s this postseason. He capped off his second set of 18-holes with a birdie on the 18th after he nearly holed-out out for eagle. Both him and Kress will play for their second collegiate title and Florida’s first individual regional title since Andy Zhang in 2018.

For the second straight day, all four counting scores were under par as the lineup only carded two bogeys compared to 18 birdies across 72-holes. Both sophomore Jack Turner and freshman Zack Swanwick shot a 2-under 70. 

Turner recorded 10th under par round in 15 total postseason stroke play rounds for his team-best 20th par or better round this season. In all five postseason rounds this year, all have been under-par in the 60s. He is tied for 9th at 3-under overall. Swanwick’s round got him back to even-par through 36-holes and is tied for 16th. His low round was his third of the postseason.

Post Round Quotes – Head Coach J.C. Deacon

On today’s round…

“We are playing some great golf. I am really, really happy for Matthew Kress. Seven under with no bogeys on that golf course is just a phenomenal round. He is in first place so far and his hard work is paying off. Then you got Luke Poulter breathing right down there in his neck a shot back at nine under. He also was bogey free, which is a sign of those guys playing, hitting and thinking great, which is our goal for all the guys. Our other two counting scores only had one bogey each in their 70s. A lot of good, solid and smart golf and today’s 16-under was one heck of a score.”

 

On what would winning the team and individual title mean tomorrow…

“Winning is always our goal at the University of Florida. Every tournament we come to that’s what we’re trying to do. Obviously to run with an Arizona State team and have nine shot lead on them has taken a lot of great golf to get there, but we know that they’re coming tomorrow and want to win too. We have to be sharp and keep doing the things that we’ve done all year. We continue to get better and show great signs so excited for the opportunity tomorrow.”

 

On why this group has been successful this postseason…

“I think when the pressure gets the highest, I really believe that you revert back to your preparation and we have harping on them since August, it’s a lot. The University of Florida golf program is not for everyone, because it’s intense from August all the way through now. But I think that intensity we have in October, November, December, January, helps us be prepared for moments like this. No doubt, from SECs to now, we are playing the best golf we’ve played all year, and it’s really rewarding.”

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