No. 1 Virginia Upset in East Lake Cup Final

ATLANTA, Ga. – In a rematch of this past spring’s NCAA semifinal, No. 10 Florida edged top-ranked Virginia in the match play final of the East Lake Cup on Wednesday (Oct. 29). The Cavaliers conclude a six-day stretch of tournament action that included a win at the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate on Saturday and a victory in the 9-hole East Lake Cup stroke play competition on Monday.

Florida’s Parker Bell held off a furious comeback by the PGATourU No. 1 ranked player, Ben James, in the clinching match. Bell was 4UP after the 13th hole but James won the next three holes with two birdies and par to pull within one. Both players birdied the 17th hole and Bell drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to clinch the match.

Virginia’s Josh Duangmanee picked up one of two UVA wins on the day, defeating Matthew Kress 2UP. The Cavalier junior was down one after two holes but responded with three birdies in his next four holes and didn’t trail for the rest of the match. Duangmanee was 1UP after the 17th hole and won the final hole with a par.

Senior Bryan Lee was able to claim the other Cavalier point defeating Jack Turner, 3&1. He won his match with a birdie on the 17th hole. Lee tied the only Cavalier to go unbeaten in the two East Lake Cup matches, going 1-0-1. Lee is 5-3-3 in match play competition as a collegian.

Match Play Semifinal (No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 10 Florida)
Luke Poulter (UF) def. Michael Lee (UVA), 4&3
Josh Duangmanee (UVA) def. Matthew Kress (UF), 2UP
Zack Swanwick (UF) def. Paul Chang (UVA), 2&1
Parker Bell (UF) def. Ben James (UVA), 1UP
Bryan Lee (UVA) def. Jack Turner (UF), 3&1

Virginia finished first or second in each of its four fall tournaments. The next tournament for UVA will be in 2026 when it competes at the Puerto Rico Classic (Feb. 9-11).