The Last Three Florida Golf Stars to Play in the Masters
The Masters is underway, and although this year there are no former Florida golfers competing, there have been in each of the previous two events.
Let’s take a look at the most recent Gators to visit Augusta National.
Billy Horschel
He qualified for the 2025 Masters, and played golf for Florida from 2005-2009. In 2009, Horschel averaged 71.28 strokes per game. He was also one of two Gators, including 2024 Masters qualifier Camilo Villegas, to be named SEC Player of the Year twice, both in 2007 and 2009. During Round 1 of the Masters in 2025, he scored a 77, five-over. In Round 2 he notched a 72, landing at par, but still outside the final cut.
Noah Kent
He made his Masters debut in 2025, even though he is currently a junior at Florida. Kent’s lowest average strokes per game was one below par at 71 in 2025. His lowest round to date was a 63 at the Puerto Rico Classic in 2024. In the first round of the Masters, Kent scored a 79, and in the second round, he improved with a 76. Both of his scores, though, were above par and ultimately didn’t result in Kent making the cut for the top-50 competitors. Unlike Horschel, who has played in 10 iterations of the Masters, Kent remains at Florida, and will likely continue striving to make his Masters return while amid his current NCAA season.
Camilo Villegas
He most recently qualified for the Masters in 2024, the fifth appearance of his career. More competitive than both Kent and Horschel during his time at Florida, Villegas had an average of 70.8 strokes per game in 2002 and 70.77 in 2004. During the second, Villegas was named SEC Player of the Year and Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He also became the first player in school history to be named SEC Player of the Year twice, followed by Horschel. During the Masters, Villegas scored a 74 in the first round and 75 in the second round. Totaling 5-over-par, Villegas didn’t make the cut for the top-50 players in the Masters, either.
But this season, no former Florida players will compete in the famed tournament. As gleaned from above, in the past two years, Florida hasn’t had a player make the final cut of the Masters. Hope can be found, however, in the current junior, Kent, who still has another year in college to develop his craft and potentially qualify for the Masters for years to come.
Category: Gators Men's Golf, Golf, PGA Golf
