UF golfer John DuBois of Windermere back for another season with Gators

Florida golfer John DuBois is ready to turn professional, but also in no rush to do so.

The Gators are happy to let DuBois take his time.

DuBois’ contributions to UF’s SEC and NCAA titles turned a decision he effectively made months ago into a cause for celebration among coaches and teammates.

When he recently told JC Deacon the final verdict, Dubois said the Gators coach replied, “If you don’t come back, we’re gonna have a problem.”

DuBois, who announced his decision Wednesday on social media, will provide a veteran leader as a fifth-year senior and clutch performer to help Florida build on a program-changing season.

The native of Windermere is familiar with the daily grind and can help set a course for younger players. DuBois plans to collaborate with fellow veterans Quentin Debove, a rising senior who shined last fall but fell into a slump, and Matthew Kress who ascended to the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman.

“We can make them better players quicker than they would be able to without a good leader: ‘This is how we do things at Florida,'” DuBois told the Sentinel. “‘This is how we go through our practice routine.’ We try to take care of all the small, little things so we can be prepared for when we get on the big stage.”

Once there, DuBois has shown a unique ability to handle tournament pressure.

DuBois rose from obscurity to win the 2022 SEC individual title. On May 11, his 15-foot winning par putt capped UF’s 3-1 win during the SEC match-play final against the two-time defending conference champions Vanderbilt, the nation’s top-ranked team.

During the NCAA Championships, DuBois was unbeatan during match-play victories against Virginia, Florida State and Georgia Tech.

“I’ll never forget that putt,” Deacon said of the SEC clincher. “Then to 3-0 in the match play at nationals … he’s just clutch. He’s money.”

DuBois, who recently turned 22, aims to cash in by postponing his professional dream.

During the extra season at UF, he will continue to develop his game under Deacon and ace assistant Dudley Hart, a UF Hall of Famer and former PGA Tour winner integral to the Gators’ newfound success. DuBois hope to produce some higher finishes — a tie for ninth was his best in 2022-23 — and work his way up the PGA Tour University rankings.

Introduced during the fall of 2020, PGA Tour U. provides professional playing opportunities to top collegians with at least four years experience. Florida’s Fred Biondi, who also was the NCAA’s individual national champion, finished No. 2 in the rankings to Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg. Aberg earned full PGA Tour status while Biondi and the next three in the rankings received the same on the Korn Ferry Tour.

PGA Tour U.’s top 20, including UF’s Ricky Castillo (No. 9) and Yuxin Lin (No. 10), earned conditional membership on Korn Ferry Tour and are exempt on PGA Tour Canada, where players ranked 11-20 are also fully exempt.

DuBois, who was unranked, hopes to capitalize.

“I looked at the pros and the cons and said, ‘Coming back for a fifth year … could probably only make me a better player, give me more playing time, more experience,'” he said. “With PGA Tour U, it makes [the decision] pretty easy. Going into next year, just play a little better and hopefully I get my ranking up there and see where that takes me.”

For now, DuBois will play several amateur events, beginning with the Northeast Amateur Invitational June 21-24 at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rhode Island. Later this summer he will return to Gainesville for a year he hopes is the best yet.

“I love Florida,” DuBois said. “I don’t feel like I need to leave. I don’t want to leave. But I also want to go play professional golf.

“So I get the hang around those guys for another year, which is not a bad gig.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com