Dudley Hart enters his second season as the Director of Player Development for the women's golf program.
Hart helped contribute to a young Gators squad laid the ground work behind five tournament victories, a runner-up finish at the SEC Championship, T3 at NCAA Regionals and advancing to the NCAA National Championships for the first time since 2019. Individually, freshman Jessica Guiser won the Gators Invitational becoming the second UF freshman to earn medalist honors at the 53rd Gators Invitational.
Closing out the successful season on a strong note and momentum into next season, redshirt-freshman Addison Klonowski finished T24 with a final round of 2-under for the best best finish by a UF freshman golfer at the NCAA National Championships since Tiffany Chuddy (T16) in 2005.
The Gators qualified for the National Championships for the first time since 2019 behind sophomore Paula Francisco's runner-up finish with a 54-hole score of 4-under 209 at the Charlottesville Regional, as she was just one shot behind medalist honors. Francisco led through the first two rounds and opened her second start in regionals with a career-low 4-under 67, her second of the postseason after the same mark in round one of the SEC Championship. She was tied for a tournament-best this week with 12 birdies and one eagle. The finish is the best by a Gator at an NCAA Regional since 2017 when Kelly Grassel won medalist honors in Columbus.
Florida had a final team round of 293 (+9) for a three-round score of 864 (+12) to finish tied for 3rd with host Virginia and earn a trip to the final tournament of the season behind an all underclassmen lineup of three sophomores and two freshmen while overcoming some heart breakers at regionals over the last four years, including missing by a shot in back-to-back seasons (2021 & 2022) and leading at the turn last year.
At the SEC Championship, led by a lineup of all underclassmen (three sophomores & two freshmen). The Gators reached the match play finals for the second time in program history since the format was added in 2018 after defeating the No. 2 seed LSU Tigers 5-0 and the No. 6 seed and No. 2 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks 3-2. UF was edged in the finals 3.5-1.5 to the No. 1 seed and veteran (two seniors & graduate student) South Carolina Gamecocks.
All five in the lineup had key moments in the conference tournament as Addison Klonowski highlighted her first appearance with two match-clinching point victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals while firing a final stroke play round of 3-under 67 to help UF advance to match play. Paula Francisco placed T11 in stroke play and went 2-0-1 in match play with two big putts on the 18th, one to clinch a point in the semifinals and another to keep Florida's SEC title hopes alive in the finals.
Florida defended home turf and swept the 53rd Gators Invitational, winning the event for the 27th time in program history in the tournament's 53rd occurrence, dating back to 1973. The Gators won the tournament for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons. Six UF golfers finished in top-23 led by Guiser's first collegiate victory at 4-under 206. The last time Florida swept both the team and individual titles at the home tournament was in 2021. The win by Guiser marks the second Florida freshman to win the Gators Invitational in program history joining Riko Higashio (1996), becoming the 11th UF golfer to earn medalist honors at the home tournament and just fourth underclassmen: Annabell Fuller (2021) and Sandral Gal (2006).
In the fall portion of the season, Florida closed out the first leg of the season with back-to-back victories, including defending its team title at The Ally. The Gators shot a final round of 6-under to end 15-under for a six-shot victory over host Mississippi State.
Prior to the 2023-24 campaign, Head Coach J.C. Deacon announced the promotion of Dudley Hart to Associate Head Coach on Aug. 31, 2023.
This spring (2024), Hart enrolled back in classes and completed his degree requirements, earning his bachelor's degree in history.
Hart was announced as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2024 Arnold Palmer Cup where Gators Ian Gilligan and Maisie Filler will be apart of his team.
It was a historic season for Hart and the Gators in 2022-23 that led to the program’s fifth National Championship and 16th SEC Championship. He was also named the 2023 Jan Strickland Outstanding Assistant Coach of the Year. Hart is only the second Gator to receive the award in program history, joining John Handrigan in 2015. This marks the first time in program history that Florida has won the national assistant and head coach of the year awards as J.C. Deacon received it for the first time in his career.
Florida captured a national title for the first time in 22 years last week as the Gators swept NCAAs with Fred Biondi winning the NCAA Individual Championship. It was the third UF golfer (Nick Gilliam 2001, Bob Murphy 1966) to achieve the honor and second time in 30 years the program swept both titles. Florida is one of seven schools to achieve the mark twice.
He helped lead the Gators to its fifth National Championship in program history and first in 22 years last week as Florida also swept NCAAs with
Fred Biondi winning the individual title. It was the third UF golfer (Nick Gilliam 2001, Bob Murphy 1966) to achieve the honor and second time in 30 years the program swept both titles. Florida is one of seven schools to achieve the mark twice.
UF reached match play at nationals for the first time in program history and its best finish in the match play era (2009) last year in 10th. Florida played in the fourth round of stroke play for the fifth time in program history and second with Hart. It was also the second consecutive season to clinch a spot in the final 18.
Florida finished stroke play in 2nd with a score of 1118 (-2), its lowest all-time at Grayhawk and first under par team score at the NCAAs since 2006. The 1,118 was the lowest round score at the National Championships in program history. A final round of 279 (-1) marks the third consecutive under round after back-to-back 2-under 278s in round two and three. The -2 performance by UF is the best round at the NCAA Championships since the opening round in 2007.
Hart helped guide Florida to its 16th SEC Championship and first in 12 years. The Gators got revenge in a rematch and defeat of No. 1 Vanderbilt 3-1-1 at Sea Island. The conference championship was Hart's second overall as he won one in 1989 as a player.
The Gators won the NCAA team and individual title and conference title in the same season for the first time in program history.
Florida claimed six team titles and six individual titles this season. The six team wins was the most since seven in 2003-04 as it was the sixth time the Gators have won at least six events in a season. The six medalist honors tied the program record in a season and only the third time in Florida history, the others were in 1989-90 when Hart was on the tem and in 2010-11.
Prior to the postseason, the Orange and Blue won four regular season tournaments, including the season opener and finale. At the Augusta Haskins Award Invite, Florida finished 39-under par, to tie second all-time in program history by par and only three shots away from the record (-42).
At the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational, Florida won its home event for the fourth straight year and the 29th time overall in the tournament's 46th occurrence.
Hart saw four golfers (Fred Biondi,
Ricky Castillo,
John DuBois and
Yuxin Lin) all earn PING All-American honors, tied for the most selections by a school this year and tied the Florida record. It was the seventh time the Gators had four selections with the last time being in 2006. Biondi, Castillo, Lin and
Quentin Debove were also selected to the PING All-Region Team. The trio of Biondi, Castillo and Lin collected All-SEC honors with
Matthew Kress collecting freshman team recognition.
Success was also obtained off the course with Fred Biondi, Quentin Debove and John DuBois being named GCCA All-American Scholars, which marked the back-to-back years with multiple honorees and most selections in a single season in program history.
Dudley Hart was named the next assistant coach for the Gators on September 15, 2021.
After a bumpy fall in the 2021-22 season, Hart got the Gators regrouped for a dominant spring. The second half of the season started on a strong note with winning back-to-back tournaments victories at the Sea Best Invitational and the VyStar Gators Invitational. The victory at Sea Best marked the fifth time in the spring opener and third time under Deacon.
At the Gator, Florida won the 45th annual event for the 28th time in program history. The Gators shot 28-under (812) to win by 12 strokes over No. 3 Oklahoma State. Fred Biondi finished 14-under at 196 to tie the tournament record while he claimed his first collegiate medalist honor. The record was last set by Camilo Benedetti in 2001 as he tied for second in tournament score and tied third all-time in tournament score by par in three rounds. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, he set career bests in low round (63), tournament score and finish on the weekend. Biondi became the 16th UF golfer to be the individual champion at the invite as his birdie on 18th concluded the career outing and brought the crowd at Mark Bostick to their feet.
Biondi’s first collegiate victory turned into a breakout season as he won his second tournament at the Calusa Cup along with two runner-up finishes, including at the NCAA Palm Beach Regional. He ended his season being named a PING First Team All-American, Haskins Award Finalist, All-SEC First Team, GCAA All-American Scholar, PING All-Region Team and two-time SEC Golfer of the Week.
At the 2022 SEC Championships, another Gator won his first collegiate title with John DuBois being crowned the individual champion. He became he 25th Gator in program history to win the title, the most by any SEC School. He joins the list of names such as Tommy Aaron, Steve Melnyk, Brian Gay, Camilo Benedetti, and volunteer assistant coach Billy Horschel. It marks the third UF golfer to win in the last five tournaments: Alejandro Tosti (2017) and Andy Zhang (2018).
The Gators advanced to the SEC match play finals for the first time since the format was added in 2017. UF knocked off No. 6 Georgia (3-1-1) in the quarterfinals and No. 2 Texas A&M (3-1-1) in the semifinals. Florida finished runner-up for the 13th time in program history and first since 2010.
UF took care of business at the NCAA Palm Beach Regional with 3rd place performance, advancing to its 55th NCAA Championship. At Grayhawk and the NCAA Championships, the Gators rallied in round three on the back nine to make the top-15 cut. Florida concluded its run only seven strokes from making match play for a 10th place finish, marking the highest since 2007 - a 9th place outing.
He recently served as the volunteer assistant coach for the last four seasons (2017-2020).
Hart, a 2003 UF Hall of Fame inductee, was member of the Gator golf team from 1987 to 1990. Over his four years, Hart was the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year (1987), a three-time first-team All-SEC selection and a four-time All-American.
He is one of five Gators in program history to be a four-time All-American and was the first of eight to earn SEC Freshman of the Year Honors.
In his senior season (1989-1990), Florida was just two strokes away from claiming the National Championship, falling to an Arizona State team led by Phil Mickelson.
Hart went on to have a decorated professional career which included two PGA Tour victories at the 1996 RBC Canadian Open and the 2000 Honda Classic.
That year, he would rise to 21st in the World Rankings, his highest ranking on the Tour.
What they Said
Coach JC Deacon
"Adding Dudley to our program as the next assistant golf coach is a big win for the Florida Gators," Deacon said. "Dudley has spent the majority of his life playing the PGA Tour against the best players in the world. His knowledge, experience, and practice habits are going to be a huge asset for our student-athletes. He has a remarkable passion for helping others and his attention to detail is unmatched.
"He is also a Gator alum and understands exactly how special our university is and what it takes to be successful here. I am very excited to watch the impact he's going to have on our program for years to come. I would also like to thank Dudley's wife Suzanne for her sacrifices and effort in making this dream possible."
Dudley Hart File
Coaching Experience:
2023(Aug. 31) - Present, Associate Head Coach
2021-2023 (Aug. 30): Florida, Assistant Coach
2017-2021: Florida, Volunteer Assistant Coach
Playing Experience:
1991-2021: PGA Tour
Education
University of Florida 1987-90 (player)
University of Florida ‘24 - bachelor's degree in history.
