SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — J.C. Deacon is likely still speechless.
He walked off the 10th green at Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course searching to find words. He couldn’t describe what had unfolded in the past hour during his Florida Gators semifinal match against rival Florida State. He thought his team was going home. Instead, it’s playing for a national title.
The Gators pulled off an improbable comeback, rallying from 2-0 to beat the Seminoles 3-2 and advance to Wednesday’s match play final, where the second-seeded Gators will battle No. 5 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets beat top-seed North Carolina 3-2 to advance.
NCAA: Photos
Florida’s Ricky Castillo earned the clinching point by beating Florida State’s Brett Roberts on the 21st hole, and that happened after Castillo was 2 down with three to play.
“Ricky is in the bunker on 16, and all I’m thinking is how are we going to win this,” Deacon said. “All due respect to Brett Roberts. He’s an incredible player. But when the match got to all square and it’s Ricky Castillo, he’s winning that. This is what he does.”
Castillo got up-and-down from the bunker on 16 for par, and Roberts made bogey. Then Castillo drove the green on the par-4 17th and made birdie, getting the match to all square.
After halving the 18th, they went to No. 10. Then to 18 again and back to No. 10, where Roberts missed a birdie putt. Castillo then made his and clinched the Gators’ spot in the match play final.
“I’m still in shock,” Castillo said. “I’m just really excited that I was able to get us in the final tomorrow.”
Improbable comeback complete.
Florida beats Florida State 3-2 after being down 2-0. Ricky Castillo with the winning putt on the 21st hole #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/vnu42a6bzP
— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) May 31, 2023
Fred Biondi, who won medalist honors Monday, beat Cole Anderson 1 up, and John DuBois added a 1-up victory to clinch it for Florida. Frederik Kjettrup and Jack Bigham clinched the two points for the Seminoles.
Meanwhile, in the second semifinal, North Carolina’s Dylan Menante made quick work of Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht, winning 6 and 5. However, at the time Menante closed the match, Georgia Tech led in the other four.
Bartley Forrester then beat Ryan Burnett, 4 and 2, with Georgia Tech coach Bruce Heppler saying Forrester couldn’t have played better Tuesday. Connor Howe beat Austin Greaser by the same score, giving the Yellow Jackets a 2-1…
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