Gators lead with three on Haskins Award Preseason Watch List
Thursday, August 27, 2026 | Men's Golf
Florida's three selections - Luke Poulter, Zack Swanwick and Jack Turner - were the most by any school for the most prestigious award in collegiate golf.
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Florida men's golf team boasts a nation-leading three golfers on the 2026-27 Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List, with Luke Poulter, Zack Swanwick and Jack Turner earning recognition, Golfweek and Golf Channel announced Thursday.
The veteran trio headlines an experienced Gators roster, combining for 87 tournaments and 243 career rounds. All three have been in Florida's lineup during the last two postseason runs, which have featured an SEC Championship, two NCAA Regional titles, two National Championship quarterfinal appearances, one semifinal appearance, two SEC Finals appearances and 11 team tournament titles.
Celebrating its 57th year, the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel is considered the most prestigious award in collegiate golf and is presented annually to the most outstanding male collegiate golfer. The winner of the oldest individual college golf award is selected through voting by players, coaches, golf SIDs and select golf media members and will be announced in early June.
Poulter adds the Haskins Award preseason recognition to an impressive list of accolades after being selected to his second Walker Cup team last week. The senior earned All-America honors from the GCAA and Golfweek following a strong junior campaign, while also being named an Academic All-American.
Poulter collected his second collegiate victory at the Columbus Regional and finished second on the team with a 71.2 stroke average. Outside of a T39 and T55, he finished T16 or better in each tournament and posted a score of par or better in eight of his 10 tournaments played. At the NCAA Championship, he carded under-par rounds of 68 (-4) and 71 (-1) to help Florida advance to match play.
This summer, Poulter competed in his second Arnold Palmer Cup, helping Team International win the competition for the second consecutive year. He also received an exemption into the PGA TOUR's 2027 Arnold Palmer Invitational, March 18-21, where he will make his PGA TOUR debut.
The second senior anchor on this year's squad, Turner enters the season as the Gators' most experienced player with 35 tournaments and 97 career rounds. His 71.0 career stroke average ranks first in program history. Turner led the team in nearly every statistical category last season and was a key part of Florida's postseason run, finishing T14 or better in all three postseason events and going undefeated in match play at the SEC Championship.
He was named an All-American by the GCAA and Golfweek for the third time while also earning his third All-Region selection and third All-SEC honor, including a First Team selection. This summer, the Orlando native reached the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals. At the NCAA Championship, Turner finished T14 at 6-under to earn NCAA All-Tournament Team honors, recording the fourth-lowest score by a Gator at the national championship in program history.
Emerging as a key contributor in the lineup, Swanwick was clutch at the National Championship a season ago, carding a final-round 66 (-6) to surge Florida into match play and post the second-lowest score relative to par in program history at the NCAAs at 12-under, one shot off the record. The junior also rallied from two down with two holes to play to force extra holes before defeating Ethan Fang of Oklahoma State on the 19th hole in the National Championship quarterfinals.
Swanwick posted a career-best 71.5 stroke average last season, with six of his 10 postseason rounds in the 60s. He made 116 birdies and recorded a team-high five eagles. Swanwick was named to the All-Region team and selected for the Arnold Palmer Cup before reaching the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur this summer.
The 2026-27 campaign begins at the Sahalee Players Championship Sept. 12-13.
2026-2027 Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Kihei Akina, BYU
Nguyen Anh Minh, Arizona State
Daniel Bennett, Texas
Carson Bertagnole, North Carolina
Adam Bresnu, Texas Tech
Ryder Cowan, Oklahoma
Josiah Gilbert, Auburn
Max Herendeen, Illinois
William Jennings, Alabama
Eric Lee, Oklahoma State
Jay Leng Jr., Stanford
Tyler Mawhinney, Vanderbilt
Jacob Modleski, Notre Dame
Luke Poulter, Florida
Logan Reilly, Auburn
Niall Shiels Donegan, North Carolina
Preston Stout, Oklahoma State
Zack Swanwick, Florida
Harry Takis, San Diego State
Jack Turner, Florida
William Walsh, Pepperdine
Tyler Watts, Tennessee
Tyler Weaver, Florida State
Tim Wiedemeyer, Texas Tech
Connor Williams, Arizona State
The veteran trio headlines an experienced Gators roster, combining for 87 tournaments and 243 career rounds. All three have been in Florida's lineup during the last two postseason runs, which have featured an SEC Championship, two NCAA Regional titles, two National Championship quarterfinal appearances, one semifinal appearance, two SEC Finals appearances and 11 team tournament titles.
Celebrating its 57th year, the Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel is considered the most prestigious award in collegiate golf and is presented annually to the most outstanding male collegiate golfer. The winner of the oldest individual college golf award is selected through voting by players, coaches, golf SIDs and select golf media members and will be announced in early June.
Poulter adds the Haskins Award preseason recognition to an impressive list of accolades after being selected to his second Walker Cup team last week. The senior earned All-America honors from the GCAA and Golfweek following a strong junior campaign, while also being named an Academic All-American.
Poulter collected his second collegiate victory at the Columbus Regional and finished second on the team with a 71.2 stroke average. Outside of a T39 and T55, he finished T16 or better in each tournament and posted a score of par or better in eight of his 10 tournaments played. At the NCAA Championship, he carded under-par rounds of 68 (-4) and 71 (-1) to help Florida advance to match play.
This summer, Poulter competed in his second Arnold Palmer Cup, helping Team International win the competition for the second consecutive year. He also received an exemption into the PGA TOUR's 2027 Arnold Palmer Invitational, March 18-21, where he will make his PGA TOUR debut.
The second senior anchor on this year's squad, Turner enters the season as the Gators' most experienced player with 35 tournaments and 97 career rounds. His 71.0 career stroke average ranks first in program history. Turner led the team in nearly every statistical category last season and was a key part of Florida's postseason run, finishing T14 or better in all three postseason events and going undefeated in match play at the SEC Championship.
He was named an All-American by the GCAA and Golfweek for the third time while also earning his third All-Region selection and third All-SEC honor, including a First Team selection. This summer, the Orlando native reached the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals. At the NCAA Championship, Turner finished T14 at 6-under to earn NCAA All-Tournament Team honors, recording the fourth-lowest score by a Gator at the national championship in program history.
Emerging as a key contributor in the lineup, Swanwick was clutch at the National Championship a season ago, carding a final-round 66 (-6) to surge Florida into match play and post the second-lowest score relative to par in program history at the NCAAs at 12-under, one shot off the record. The junior also rallied from two down with two holes to play to force extra holes before defeating Ethan Fang of Oklahoma State on the 19th hole in the National Championship quarterfinals.
Swanwick posted a career-best 71.5 stroke average last season, with six of his 10 postseason rounds in the 60s. He made 116 birdies and recorded a team-high five eagles. Swanwick was named to the All-Region team and selected for the Arnold Palmer Cup before reaching the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur this summer.
The 2026-27 campaign begins at the Sahalee Players Championship Sept. 12-13.
2026-2027 Fred Haskins Award Preseason Watch List (listed alphabetically):
Kihei Akina, BYU
Nguyen Anh Minh, Arizona State
Daniel Bennett, Texas
Carson Bertagnole, North Carolina
Adam Bresnu, Texas Tech
Ryder Cowan, Oklahoma
Josiah Gilbert, Auburn
Max Herendeen, Illinois
William Jennings, Alabama
Eric Lee, Oklahoma State
Jay Leng Jr., Stanford
Tyler Mawhinney, Vanderbilt
Jacob Modleski, Notre Dame
Luke Poulter, Florida
Logan Reilly, Auburn
Niall Shiels Donegan, North Carolina
Preston Stout, Oklahoma State
Zack Swanwick, Florida
Harry Takis, San Diego State
Jack Turner, Florida
William Walsh, Pepperdine
Tyler Watts, Tennessee
Tyler Weaver, Florida State
Tim Wiedemeyer, Texas Tech
Connor Williams, Arizona State
Players Mentioned
Friday, August 28
Friday, August 28
Friday, August 28
Friday, August 28
