Tag: Ian Gilligan

Vanderbilt’s Tillie Claggett, Florida’s Ian Gilligan capture 2023 Patriot All-America titles

Claggett set a tournament record with an impressive final round.

It was an impressive final round for Vanderbilt sophomore Tillie Claggett.

She fired a tournament-record 9-under 61 on Sunday to win the women’s division of the 2023 Patriot All-America, a year-end amateur tournament filled with plenty of the best amateurs from across the country in Litchfield Park, Arizona.

Claggett entered the final round six shots back of the lead, but nine birdies later on the Wigwam’s blue course she walked away with her name in the record books and the Folded Flag trophy and Bomber jacket.

“I’ve kind of been waiting for an individual win since I moved out of my junior career into my amateur career, so this definitely feels good,” Claggett said.

She finished at 12-under 198 for the tournament, two shots in front of South Florida’s Melanie Green, the 36-hole leader.

Meanwhile, Florida junior Ian Gilligan shot 2-under 68 in the final round at the Golf Course to cap his wire-to-wire victory, finishing at 12 under. He bested Notre Dame’s Parker Jackson, the event’s only five-time participant, by three shots.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m stoked,” said Gilligan, the reigning Big West Conference individual champion. “I didn’t get off to an amazing start – it was a little slow – but I stuck around and waited for my opportunities. I was lucky to get a hole out, which helped, and then hung in there at the end. But I’m extremely to win this event.”

The Patriot All-America Invitational features PING All-Americans from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA; as well as 2022 First Team All-America Seniors from the AJGA and other special invitees. The 54-hole amateur event is known as the first of its kind to combine the talents of 150 nationally recognized men and women golfers simultaneously at one tournament.

Conducted in a partnership with the GCAA, WGCA, the West Valley Mavericks, The Patriot All-America LLC and the Arizona Golf Association, The Patriot All-America honors fallen or severely wounded soldiers and first responders in collaboration with the Folds of Honor Foundation. The golfers receive a golf bag provided by PING Corporation at the event’s opening ceremony emblazoned with the name and branch of service of a fallen or injured military member whom they shall represent. Participants also receive a card with the soldier’s story so they can become familiar with that soldier. The golf bags are then sold by the players’ college or university with proceeds donated to Folds of Honor to support the families affected.

All-American Ian Gilligan, top transfer in portal, joining national champion Florida

“Ian is a special player and proven winner.”

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As a sophomore, Ian Gilligan put together one of the best seasons in Long Beach State history.

He had four victories, including in the Big West Championship, and nine top-10 finishes. He was named a Golfweek second-team All-American. He narrowly missed out qualifying as an individual for the 2023 NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, finishing T-9 at the Las Vegas Regional.

However, Gilligan, who finished 12th in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings for 2023, is leaving the Golden State for the Sunshine State, as he’s transferring to the national champion Florida Gators where he will likely become one of the best players in the lineup with two years of eligibility remaining.

“Adding Ian Gilligan to our already talented roster is massive for us in continuing the momentum we created this spring,” Gators’ coach J.C. Deacon said in a release. “Ian is a special player and proven winner. He also has a unique ability to take it deep as he displayed shooting 61 in competition earlier this year. ”

That 61 came in the John A. Burns Intercollegiate, where Gilligan finished T-3.

It’s a big splash for the Gators, which lose individual national champion Fred Biondi as well as Ricky Castillo and Yuxin Lin. He will join John DuBois and Matthew Kress, both pivotal pieces in Florida’s title run, in the lineup.

Gilligan’s rise to one of the best college golfers in the country didn’t come without its challenges. When he was 15, he was one of 20 kids worldwide diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, one that forced him to spend months in the hospital.

He would spend a week receiving chemotherapy treatments before having two weeks at home. That process continued for seven months.

Now, he’s joining the defending national champions looking to help the Gators go back-to-back.

Haskins Award: First spring watch list for 2022-23 men’s college golf Player of the Year

Check out who’s in the running for men’s college golfer of the year.

With every passing week, the men’s college golf season creeps closer to the NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Haskins Award announced Friday its first spring watch list, featuring 15 of the best men’s college golfers this season. Gordon Sargent, a sophomore at Vanderbilt who has risen to No. 2 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is having a stellar season, but there are plenty of other big names in contention.

The Haskins Award honors the player of the year in college men’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the Haskins Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

A pair of 61s, Michigan State’s record performances in wake of tragedy and more highlights from the last week in college golf

Here’s what you need to know from the last week in college golf.

The scores were low in Hawaii at the Burns Intercollegiate.

Not only was there a record score in the team competition, but there were two golfers who shot 61s during the event, including 2022 U.S. Amateur champion Sam Bennett, a fifth-year senior at Texas A&M.

Each week, Golfweek will put together a roundup of the best individual and team performances from across the country, as teams continue on the road to Grayhawk, highlighting spectacular performances and keeping you up to date on which teams are making a title push.

Here’s what you need to know from the last week in college golf.

Ian Gilligan beat cancer. Now he’s a successful college golfer at Long Beach State and winner of the CalHOPE Courage Award

“I’m just thankful to even be able to play.”

Ian Gilligan didn’t know whether he would live, let alone pick up a club and play golf again.

Now a sophomore at Long Beach State, Gilligan was in the fight for his life a few years ago. When he was 15, he was one of 20 kids worldwide diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma, one that forced him to spend months in the hospital.

He would spend a week receiving chemotherapy treatments before having two weeks at home. That process continued for seven months, but Gilligan persevered.

Gilligan is the winner of the CalHOPE Courage Award for the month of November. The monthly award honors student-athletes at California colleges and universities who have overcome the stress, anxiety and mental trauma associated with personal hardships and adversity. It is presented by the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for the award,” Gilligan said. “I think everything that the award stands for and does is something I strive for.”

Ian Gilligan
Ian Gilligan has two wins this fall for Long Beach State. (Photo: LBSU Athletics)

Golf remained an escape during Gilligan’s time receiving chemotherapy. Because his immune system was so compromised, he couldn’t do many things in crowded places, like go to the movies. But he could spend time on the golf course.

He first noticed pain his his shoulder when playing, and it eventually spread toward’s Gilligan’s armpit. He was having to take Advil on the course just to be able to practice. Then they got the diagnosis.

His first week home after treatment, Gilligan was normally so exhausted, he didn’t have the energy to play golf, instead just trying to recuperate at home. The second week, however, is when he would head to the course.

“Golfing was definitely a get away,” Gilligan said. “Those experiences helped me be more grateful and helped me grow as a person.”

Gilligan was being recruited before his diagnosis, and his dreams to play collegiately and beyond wouldn’t be hampered by being sick.

He originally received an email from Long Beach State asking him to come by campus for a visit, and after talking with his parents, he did just that.

The visit sold him. The campus was close to the practice facilities. Weather was nice year round. It was also close to his coach, George Gankas.

That decision paid off.

As a freshman last year, Gilligan was named Big West Freshman of the Year and to the All-Big West First Team with three top-10 finishes and five top-25 showings. His best finish was second place at the Big West Championships.

This fall, he has continued to dominate. Gilligan has two victories at the Nick Watney Invitational and the Mackenzie Invitational, as well as a strong finish at the Cal Poly Invitational. He’s ranked 21st in the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings heading into the spring.

His drive and determination helped him overcome cancer and become one of the best college golfers in the country. That’s why he won the CalHOPE Courage Award, and it shouldn’t be a shock to see his success continue.

“I’m just thankful to even be able to play,” Gilligan said.

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