After setting its Grayhawk best with a 283 (+3) in round one, the Gators were one of two teams (Illinois, -7) to go under-par today. The -2 performance by UF is the best round at the NCAA Championships since the opening round in 2007.
Florida tees off round three tomorrow, which will feature a top-15 cut after 54-holes, at 9:10 a.m. ET and will be paired with leader Illinois (-2) and T3 North Carolina (+4). Monday will feature the final round of stroke play as the top-8 teams advance to match play. The Gators are seeking its first-ever appearance in the match play portion, which was added in 2009.
Earning PING All-Regions for the multiple time in their career earlier today, both Fred Biondi and Ricky Castillo turned in 68s (-2). The duo knocked down birdies on the par-5 11 (650 yards) to put Florida -1 on the day. The seniors teamed up again with Biondi a birdie on 16 followed by Castillo adding his third on 17.
🔥 @FredBiondi 🔥
He makes birdie on 16 and is now T5 at 3-under 📈 pic.twitter.com/xMWRUXRtSk
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) May 27, 2023
Biondi was bogey-free for the round and only has three bogeys through 36 holes in the desert. He is solo fourth at 3-under overall and is three shots off the individual lead. Tied for 8th, Castillo erased an early +1 on hole four with three birdies and 11 pars. He is -1 on the weekend.
Moving up 👀@RickykCastillo makes birdie on 8 and Florida moves to solo 4th 🐊 pic.twitter.com/yFfrdPXkbx
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) May 27, 2023
Staying consistent was John DuBois with his second straight round of 70 (E). He started the round with par-birdie-par-birdie-par in the first five holes. The 2022 SEC Individual Champion is tied for 13th.
Moving up 👀@RickykCastillo makes birdie on 8 and Florida moves to solo 4th 🐊 pic.twitter.com/yFfrdPXkbx
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) May 27, 2023
Improving a shot from yesterday, Yuxin Lin was the Gators final counting score with a 72 (+2).
Florida Head Coach J.C. Deacon
On the team’s first two rounds at the NCAA Championships:
“I think you look back historically at the national championship at Grayhawk and playing in the afternoons are really difficult, and for some reason this team loves difficult circumstances. They don’t back down. They don’t flinch, and today was…
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