Fall Recap: Florida Surges, Virginia Steady, LSU and Vanderbilt Shine in 2025 Men’s College Golf

The fall portion of the 2025 to 26 men's college golf season wrapped with several top programs positioning themselves for a strong spring run toward the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa.

Florida delivered one of the most impressive stretches after an opening 10th-place finish at the Sahalee Players Championship. The Gators followed with runner-up and third-place results, then claimed titles at both the Williams Cup and East Lake Cup, including a match-play win over No. 1 Virginia.

Virginia continued its consistent form, falling to only one team across four stroke play events. Seniors Ben James and Bryan Lee finished the semester ranked first and eighth nationally.

LSU and Vanderbilt each earned three fall victories, thanks to steady depth and emerging talent. Defending national champion Oklahoma State added a win and two runner-up finishes when its full lineup competed, highlighted by Ethan Fang and Preston Stout returning from the World Amateur Team Championship.

In the early Haskins Award race, James holds the top spot after winning the Ben Hogan Award and recording two third-place finishes. Bryan Kim (Duke), Josiah Gilbert (Auburn), and William Jennings (Alabama) each posted two wins. World No. 1 amateur Jackson Koivun closed the semester with finishes of T17, T10, and T5.

Koivun already secured PGA Tour status through PGA Tour University Accelerated. James currently leads the PGA Tour U 2026 ranking for the senior PGA Tour card, with Christiaan Maas and Tommy Morrison of Texas, along with Vanderbilt's Wells Williams, close behind in the chase for Korn Ferry Tour status.

The fall also featured standout scoring performances. South Dakota State’s Tyler Seeling fired a 12-under 60 at the Island Resort Intercollegiate, the 21st 60 in college golf history. Florida Gulf Coast’s Nolan Harper posted a 9-under 28 in Hawaii, believed to be the lowest nine-hole score recorded in collegiate play.

Division II history was made when Lee University's Drew Zielinski won the Golfweek Fripp Island to Bermuda Invitational to become the first D-II player to earn a PGA Tour exemption through an event victory.

Source
Golfweek