William & Mary’s Talon Dingledine and Grady Williams enter the 2026-27 season with strong Virginia golf backgrounds, family connections to the university and growing roles within a young Tribe lineup.
Both recently competed at the State Open of Virginia at Independence Golf Club, where Williams finished T10 and Dingledine finished T24. During their CGN interview, they discussed their paths to William & Mary, the program’s team culture, their State Open experiences and what they expect from the upcoming college season.
Talon Dingledine
Dingledine made an immediate impact during his freshman season, earning CAA Rookie of the Year honors and finishing runner-up at the CAA Championship.
2025- 26 Highlights
• CAA Rookie of the Year
• Runner-up at the CAA Championship
• Eight Top 10 finishes, tying the William & Mary single season record
• School record 17 rounds of par or better
• Ninth at the National Golfweek Invitational at 8 under 208
• Final round 70 with five birdies at the National Golfweek Invitational
• His 208 total ranks fifth on William & Mary’s all time tournament scoring list
State Open of Virginia
Dingledine opened with a 67 and finished T24 at 3 over 213.
During the interview, he discussed competing alongside experienced professionals and the lessons he took from watching how they managed their emotions throughout a round. That experience reinforced an area Dingledine has emphasized since arriving at William & Mary: developing a steadier mental approach.
He also discussed his notably fast pace of play. Dingledine grew up playing quickly with his father and remains decisive when choosing shots and committing to targets.
Before William & Mary
• Four-time Virginia All-State selection
• Three-time Richmond Times-Dispatch All-Metro Player of the Year
• Three-time County Player of the Year
• 2023 and 2024 Region Champion
• 2023 and 2024 Richmond City Amateur Champion
• 2023 VSGA Junior Match Play Champion
• 2024 Donald Ross Junior Champion
• 2023 Richmond Golf Association Junior Champion
• T11 at the 2024 PGA Junior Championship
Grady Williams
Williams enters his junior season after continuing to develop within the William & Mary lineup. His summer included a strong showing at the State Open of Virginia, where he finished inside the Top 10.
2025–26 Highlights
• CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll
• Top 10 finish at the Golden Horseshoe Intercollegiate
State Open of Virginia
Williams posted rounds of 68, 71 and 69 to finish T10 at 2 under 208.
He credited his performance to maintaining an even approach throughout the championship. Rather than allowing individual shots to dictate his emotions, Williams focused on staying composed regardless of the result.
That mentality helped produce three consistent rounds and one of his strongest finishes of the summer.
Junior Golf Background
• VPL Player of the Year in 2022 and 2023
• Trinity Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Third at the VSGA Junior Match Play Championship
• Runner-up at the Richmond Golf Association Junior Championship
• Third at the AJGA DC Classic after rounds of 66, 68 and 65
Family Connections to William & Mary
For both players, William & Mary has been part of their families long before their college golf careers began.
Williams grew up attending William & Mary football games and homecoming events. His mother played soccer at William & Mary and is a member of the school’s Hall of Fame, while his father spent time with the golf program.
Dingledine also has two parents with William & Mary athletic backgrounds. His father played golf for the Tribe, while his mother competed in track and field.
Dingledine explained that feeling wanted by the coaching staff was an important part of his recruitment. After receiving his first college offer from William & Mary, he committed only a few days later.
Fathers on the Bag
Those family connections continued at the State Open, where both players had their fathers serving as caddies.
Dingledine values his father’s knowledge of his game and ability to provide another perspective on course management. Williams similarly views his father as someone who understands his game extremely well while helping keep the atmosphere relaxed during competition.
For both, the partnership extends beyond club selection and reads. Their fathers help keep them grounded and focused throughout a round.
Looking Ahead at William & Mary
Williams and Dingledine see increased internal competition as an important part of William & Mary’s next step.
The Tribe featured a young roster last season, giving the group another year to develop together. Both players emphasized the team’s close relationships and the opportunity to push one another through qualifying, practice and tournament competition.
Williams believes that increased competition within the roster can make the team stronger, while Dingledine sees the returning core as a foundation the program can continue building around.
Career Snapshot
Talon Dingledine
Sophomore
Chesterfield, Virginia
CAA Rookie of the Year
CAA Championship runner-up
Eight Top 10 finishes as a freshman
2023 VSGA Junior Match Play Champion
Grady Williams
Junior
Manakin Sabot, Virginia
CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll
State Open of Virginia T10 finish
Two-time VPL Player of the Year
Beyond Golf
Dingledine enjoys table tennis and basketball away from the course.
Williams spends some of his free time fishing and doing pottery.
CGN Angle
Dingledine and Williams represent two important pieces of a young William & Mary lineup entering the 2026 to 27 season. Dingledine’s record-setting freshman year established him immediately within the program, while Williams enters his junior season following a Top 10 performance at the State Open of Virginia.
Their Virginia backgrounds, family ties to William & Mary and continued development give the Tribe two players with both familiarity and experience as the program prepares for another season.