The 13th-ranked Gators edged No. 7 Oklahoma State in the team standings, bolstered once more by standout senior Ian Gilligan, who won a two-hole playoff against Charlotte’s Justin Matthew to take the individual title.
As the hoopla began to settle down, Deacon was asked a simple question: What makes Gilligan so good? Sunday’s victory was Gilligan’s sixth as a collegian and second in his two seasons at Florida. He transferred to UF from Long Beach State after the 2023 season.
Deacon mentioned familiar factors such as Gilligan’s ball-striking ability and penchant for thriving under pressure. However, Deacon said that at the core of Gilligan’s success is a trait that you can’t coach. You either have it or you don’t.
“He has a child-like passion for golf,” Deacon said. “He just loves the game. He loves talking about shots and practicing and everything it takes.”
If you were at Mark Bostick Golf Course on a windy, rainy and chilly Sunday afternoon, you got to see what Deacon is talking about. With the tournament and individual titles hanging in the balance, a storm front swept across the course around noon and dropped the temperature about 20 degrees in seconds. The rain soon followed, and not long after that, a weather delay.
Gilligan had two holes left in regulation when the delay arrived. He parred the 17th, and facing a long uphill approach at the 18th, Gilligan slammed his shot into the middle of the green, leaving a formidable putt to get within distance of an easy par and keep the Gators in the lead by a shot.
“He had to hit his drive in that pouring rain,” Deacon said. “It was a little low left. He wouldn’t like it very much. He still had 227, or something like that, to the flag, which makes that hole play so long up the hill, and with the cold and rain. He hit a beautiful 5-iron right at the flag. Being able to hit that clutch five iron in that moment when he knew the tournament was on the line, I think that says a lot about how much he believes in himself.”
The spectators, determined to weather the conditions under their oversized umbrellas, huddled under a large pine tree to help defend against…
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