ATLANTA – The No. 9 Florida men’s golf team took down the No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers 3-2 behind Parker Bell’s clutch birdie on the 18th hole to secure the 2025 East Lake Cup Title on Wednesday at East Lake Golf Club. The win marks the Gators’ second straight victory this fall and their first-ever championship at the prestigious event.
PBell does it ‼️
He clinches the match and the Gators are the East Lake Cup Champs! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/b8DsCISsal
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) October 29, 2025
Today’s final was a rematch of last year’s NCAA National Championship Semifinals (UVA 3, UF 0) and 2023 NCAA National Championship Quarterfinals (UF 3, UVA 2). The victory improves Florida to 2-1 all-time vs. Virginia and 22-11-1 in match play overall under head coach J.C. Deacon. The tournament title is the 34th all-time under Deacon and eighth season of multiple wins, including the last six consecutive.
Senior Parker Bell secured the match-clinching point 1-Up against the No. 2 ranked amateur and No. 1 player in the PGA TOUR U, Ben James. After a challenging 2024 season with just five lineup appearances after being in the postseason lineup his sophomore season, Bell has shined this fall. The Tallahassee native entered this week with recent finishes of T8-T12 and kept the momentum going. He had a team-best T2 (-2) finish in stroke play and went 2-0 in match play with a dominant 5&3 win yesterday where he shot a bogey-free 6-under and only dropped two holes.
Bell and James were both tied through seven holes before Bell won three straight holes (8-10) to quickly move 3-Up. The two halved 11 & 12 as Bell’s par on the 13th moved him 4-Up with five to play. However, James responded with consecutive victories on the 14th, 15th and 16th to trip the lead to one shot as he made four birdies in his last five holes.
With 1-Up lead on the 17th, Bell was clutch making birdie to tie the hole after James chipped in for birdie. On the 18th, the two matched again with birdies as Bell held steady and drilled another clutch putt from distant to clinch the victory.
It was back-to-back days a Gator earned the match-clinching point with a birdie on the 18th over a highly ranked golfer. In Tuesday’s Semifinals, Jack Turner defeated Ole Miss’ Michael La Sasso 2-Up, the 2025 NCAA Individual National Champion and current No. 10 amateur and No. 3 in PGA TOUR U.
Florida’s leadoff man, Luke Poulter, continued his stellar match play form. He secured Florida’s first point with a 4&3 victory behind a lengthy birdie putt to go 2-0 this week and move his collegiate match play record to 7-2 all-time. In his 29 holes this week, Poulter won and tied 13 holes, while only losing three.
built for this. 🐊 https://t.co/zf2fmskdU1 pic.twitter.com/iIxywPTNHz
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) October 29, 2025
Going 4-0 in postseason match play (SEC’s 3-0, NCAA’s 1-0) in his freshman season last year, Zack Swanwick pushed Florida ahead 2-0 with a 2&1 victory. The sophomore erased an early one hole deficit and went 1-Up with a birdie on the 13th and held the advantage the next three holes before a birdie on the 17th to clinch his match.
Swanny 🦢
He grabs Florida’s second point with a 2&1 win! ☑️ pic.twitter.com/5tP2WztjXH
— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) October 29, 2025
Virginia grabbed its first point behind a Josh Duangmanee 2-Up victory over Matthew Kress, who extended his match to the 18th hole after being 3-Down with eight holes to play. The Cavs second point came from a 3&1 win by Byran Lee over Jack Turner, who fell to 7-4 in career match play.
Florida begins the spring season at the Sea Best Invitational at Atlantic Beach Country Club, an event Florida has won seven times and its last three straight outings. Following that, UF hosts the Gators Invitational from Feb. 14-15 at Mark Bostick Golf Course as the field will feature the last two National Champions in Oklahoma State and Auburn.
East Lake Cup Finals | #1-seed & No. 1-ranked Virginia -2, #2-seed & No. 9-ranked Florida – 3
Luke Poulter 4&3 vs. Michael Lee
Josh Duangmanee 2-Up vs. Matthew Kress
Zack Swanwick 2&1 vs. Paul Chang
Parker Bell 1Up vs. Ben James
Bryan Lee 3&1 vs. Jack Turner
