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. ”
Welcome to #GatorNation, Ian 🐊
🔶 2023 PING All-American
🔷 2023 Big West Golfer of the Year
🔶 2023 Big West Individual Champion
🔷 2022 Big West Freshman of the Year
🔶 Two-time All-Big West First Team#GoGators pic.twitter.com/RnZH0chnKs— Gators Golf (@GatorsGolf) June 16, 2023
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.
