UF headlines NCAA regional in Kissimmee

GAINESVILLE — The 2017 Florida Gators had talent, men’s golf coach J.C. Deacon knew.

What Deacon found out at the worst time a season ago, his team lacked toughness.

Deacon trusts his current squad is wired differently. The true test will come at this week’s NCAA regional at Reunion Resort, Watson Course in Kissimmee.

The Gators are the No. 2 seed behind Vanderbilt in the 14-team, three-day event hosted by No. 10 seed UCF. USF is the No. 4 seed.

The top five teams advance to the NCAA championship, slated for May 25-30 in Stillwater, Okla.

“I really believe in these guys,” Deacon said. “We’ve got a great team. I don’t think we’ve played our best golf yet.

“I’m expecting to see it these next three weeks.”

Deacon had high hopes for last year’s squad, too.

The top seed in the West Lafayette (Ind.) Regional appeared on its way to the NCAA Championship until wet, windy and chilly conditions arrived on the final day and the Gators wilted.

Three players shot 80 or worse and no one threatened par as UF plummeted to eighth place and headed home.

“It was hard, there’s no doubt, it was cold, it was really windy, it was rainy,” Deacon recalled. “It was difficult.”

But as Deacon watched University of Illinois players wearing shirt sleeves and moving up the leaderboard, he knew things needed to change back in Gainesville.

“It was a pretty soft team when I ultimately looked back on it,” Deacon said of the Gators.

“It was a great lesson for me as a coach and it was a great lesson for our program. You can’t just win on talent.”

Deacon looked to make life harder on his players when they returned to school in August.

Workouts were made more demanding and qualifying rounds were much more frequent, forcing players to earn a spot in the top five each week. Deacon, in his fourth season at UF, said he made a lot of coach’s picks during previous years.

“They weren’t just given anything,” Deacon said. “They had to earn it. This time of year is when it really is going to pay off.”

Deacon saw the dividends at the end of last month during the SEC Championships.

The Gators were tied for 12th among 14 teams after one round of qualifying, but finished tied for second two days later.

On the final day, four players shot in the 60s as UF passed 10 teams in a conference that would send every school to the NCAAs.

“That was a special day,” Deacon said.

“These guys should know they can be the best of the best when they put their mind to it.”

Andy Zhang led the way with a 66 at the SECs to win the league’s individual title.

The sophomore, who will turn professional at season’s end, now will return to the course where he grew up on the fourth hole and estimates he has played 1,000 times.

“He’s going to know course better than anyone in the tournament — that’s huge,” Deacon said.

“But at the same time, you still have to put scores up and make the putts.”

UAA/COURTESY UF coach J.C. Deacon has made the team tougher.