For parts of the SEC Championship, it looked like No. 3 Florida would take its third conference title in four years.
The Gators trailed No. 1 Auburn by just one about midway through the final round of stroke play.
However, the top golfer in the nation, Jackson Koivun, went 7-under-par for a total of 191 (-19), helping the Tigers win stroke play.
Despite UF finishing with a program-low 807 (-33) in stroke play, it finished six strokes behind Auburn.
“Satisfied, excited for the guys, because you work all year for this tournament,” Gators head coach J.C. Deacon said after stroke play. “What a team effort this week, contributions from everyone, but that was the appetizer, and now it’s the main course with match play.”
Florida beat Oklahoma in the quarterfinals by just 3-2, even with Jack Turner and Parker Sands blowing out their opponents by five holes.
Then, the Gators defeated Texas 3.5-1.5 in the semifinals. No. 11 Ole Miss upset Auburn 3-2, thanks to the nation’s 12th-best golfer, Tom Fischer. This set up the final test for Florida.
But while the Gators may have avoided Auburn for a second time, the Rebels proved to be more difficult. Fischer obliterated Zack Swanwick by five holes, and Collins Trolio beat Kress by four.
Ultimately, Ole Miss knocked UF out of the SEC Championship, winning 4-1.
The Florida lineup consisted of Turner, Luke Poulter, Kress, Swanwick and Sands. Meanwhile, Parker Bell was the substitute.
Turner was the best performer for the Gators in both stroke and match play. In stroke play, he sported a 202 (-8). The junior opened up the first round by going under par six out of nine holes, including five birdies and an eagle. He slowed down a bit in the final two rounds, combining for 2-under-par.
Match play proved to be more of a success for him than the other four Gators. The Orlando native wiped Oklahoma’s Coltrane Mittag by five holes and defeated Texas’ Morrison by two. But he tied Ole Miss’ Cohen Troilo in 15 holes.
“It was nice to see a 28 out of him, but I know he probably feels like he left a few out there shooting,” Deacon said after Turner’s performance in Round 1 of stroke play. “But obviously, a six under 64 you take it to start, and it’s right where he wants to be with two rounds left.”
Poulter and Swanwick ended close behind in stroke play, accumulating a 204 (-6). Match play didn’t come as easily for both of them, though.
Swanwick lost to Oklahoma’s Jase Summy by one but rebounded in the semifinals, winning by three against Daniel Bennett. Poulter had an even harder time, as he was the only Gator to not register a win in any of the three match play rounds, including a four-hole loss to the Longhorns’ Christiaan Mass.
Sands and Kress both posted a 205 (-5) in stroke play. Sands went (2-1-0) in match play, while Kress went (1-1-1). Sands had a phenomenal quarterfinal and semifinal, obliterating both opponents by a combined nine holes. However, the sophomore blew a two-hole lead against Tankersley in the finals and lost by one.
“It’s been really difficult for him to get in the lineup, but he earned it,” Deacon said about Sands.
Despite falling in the finals, the Gators will still continue in the postseason. NCAA Regional competition will begin on May 18, with location selection on May 6. Florida may play in any of six locations: Athens, Georgia; Bermuda Run, North Carolina; Bryan, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Corvallis, Oregon or Maricopa, Arizona.
Contact Colby Kistner at ckistner@alligator.org. Follow him on X @colbykistner22.
Colby is a junior sports journalism student in his first semester with the Alligator covering golf. He has experience covering Buchholz and Santa Fe High School sports. He also worked in UF's innovation center where he wrote and created radio content for WRUF. He is an avid hockey fan with his teams being the Seattle Kraken and Florida Panthers. He is looking to minor in business administration.
