Gators Men’s Golf Tied for Third After First Round of SEC Championship

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Florida men’s golfer Jack Turner shot a career-low 64 (-6) to lead the Gators to an 11-under opening round of the SEC Championship on Wednesday at Sea Island Golf Club. The No. 4-ranked Gators are tied for third with No. 1 Auburn and No. 3 Texas. Ole Miss leads at 15-under.

“He’s got every aspect of his game firing right now,” UF coach J.C. Deacon said of Turner’s performance. “I think the biggest difference between him now and when he was a freshman is how well he putts. His putting has become a real weapon for him…when you can putt that well and drive as well as he does, the low rounds are bound to happen.

“A six-under 64, you take it to start, and it’s right where he wants to be with two rounds left.”

All five UF golfers in the starting lineup finished the day under par. Florida tied its lowest team round of the program’s conference tournament history with 269, last set in 2022. 

Fourteen of the 16 competing teams finished under par, with only Georgia (E) and Kentucky (+5) finishing outside the cut. Five teams posted double-digit under-par scores, as the match-play cut line (top-8) is at 8 under. 

The solo leader is Ryan Cowan of Oklahoma. He shot a 62 (-8) for the second-lowest individual all-time at the SEC Championship. Oklahoma sits second at 14-under.

Florida teed off today at 8 a.m. Following Friday’s final 18 holes, the top-eight teams advance to match play, which begins with the quarterfinals and semifinals Saturday. There will be live coverage on SECN+ at 3 p.m. Tuesday’s championship finals are slated for 10 a.m. live on SEC Network. 

Florida Player Scoreboard

T2. Jack Turner – 64 (-6)

T16. Matthew Kress – 67 (-3)

T31. Zack Swanwick – 69 (-1)

T31. Parker Sands – 69 (-1)

T52. Luke Poulter – 71 (+1)

Team Scoreboard

1. Ole Miss (-15)

2. Oklahoma (-14)

T3. Florida (-11)

T3. Texas (-11)

T3. Auburn (-11)

6. Mississippi State (-9)

T7. South Carolina (-8)

T7. Alabama (-8)

9. Texas A&M (-6)

T10. Missouri (-5)

T10. LSU (-5)

12. Arkansas (-3)

T13. Tennessee (-2)

T13. Vanderbilt (-2)

15. Georgia (E)

16. Kentucky (+5)

Category: Gator Sports, Gators Men's Golf, Golf, SEC