UF Men’s Golf Holds Lead At Gators Invitational

The Florida Gators men’s golf team finished Rounds 1 and 2 of the Gators Invitational at the top of the leaderboard  at 15-under Saturday.

Ian Gilligan is tied for the individual leader spot at Mark Bostick Golf Course.

Round 1

At the first round’s end, the No.13 led with a score of 271 (-9), taking an early lead around holes 6-9 at -5.  All five golfers in the lineup shot par or better.

Gilligan shot a solid round of 66 (-4). He had trouble reaching the green in regulation on hole 3, making a short chip that stopped just short. He scored a bogey, but came back in the next hole with a birdie. It was consistent pars birdies after that.

Making his first career start in the lineup, Parker Sands scored 67 (-3) with two bogeys and five pars, placing in second place overall for the team. Luke Poulter scored a 69 (-1), Rylan Shim also a 69 (-1) and Jack Turner a 70 (E).

The Gators were sitting comfortably at -10. However, Turner scored a bogey and a double bogey alongside Poulter, who got a bogey. This brought the team score to -6, losing the advantage of a 5-shot lead that became a 1-shot lead. Gilligan later widened the gap with a birdie and aided the score to -7.

At the end of Round 1, the top 3 of the leaderboard consisted of Florida (-9), Florida Gulf Coast (-6) and South Florida (-6).

Round 2

At the end of Round 2, the Gators maintained their lead, shooting 274 (-6) and leaving their total tournament score at -15 to hold a two-shot lead against Oklahoma State, which is following closely behind.

Four of the five Gators remained consistent and shot a round of par or better. Led by Gilligan at 67 (-3) and a total score of -7. Gilligan, across his 36 holes, has made 21 pars and a tournament-leading 11 birdies. He wants to capture his sixth collegiate win and second as a Gator.

Sands recorded a second round of 70 (E) and is tied for 11th with a total score of -3 (137). Poulter is tied for 11th, carding a 68 (-2) in the second round with 27 pars and six birdies.

Turner shot a 69 (-1), leaving him T19. Shim shot a second round of 74 (+4), placing him T39.

Parker Bell (-2) is T14, Ryan Hart (+4) is T44, Matthew Kress (+1) is T28 and Zack Swanwick (+4) is also T44.

final round. pic.twitter.com/lr0wOI7FJo

— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) February 16, 2025

Up Next

The Gators will play the third and final round of the invitational Sunday. Tee times are slotted for a shotgun start, beginning at 7:20 a.m.

Florida aims to defend its 30-time event win legacy, with the last five victories being consecutive. From 1987-2011, the Gators won the event 20 times and nine straight between 1989-1997.