Florida State Men’s Golf Adds Three to 2021 Class

McCann also led Chiles in the District 1 Championship on Oct. 12 when he carded an even par 72 as co-champion. He then led the Timberwolves in the regional tournament with a 1-under 71 at Southwood Golf Club.

“Thankfully we recruited Patrick since he has been in High School,” Jones said of McCann. “I always look for things you can’t coach. Patrick has speed and shows up in big events. He was leading the State Junior through 36 holes and led the Chiles High School team to two State Championships.”

The lefty golfer has been stellar in other tournaments as well, placing sixth out of 90 golfers at the Boys Junior Amateur Championship at the Black Course at Streamsong Resort (67-70-78). In 2019, he finished fourth at Black Diamond Ranch (73-73) on May 12, 2019, and tied for seventh at the Boys Amateur Championship (69-75-76) in 2018.

Mays has been a catalyst for helping Winter Park High School finish toward the top in the state championships over the last three years. In 2018 as a sophomore, Mays and his team made history by earning the school’s first-ever state title that was held at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-In-The-Hills.

In that tournament, the team arrived no later than 10 minutes before the opening round due to a closed bridge near the course. With little warm-up time, Mays managed to shoot an even-par 72 on that first day, and wound up finishing fifth overall in the tournament to help his high school capture the state championship.

In the 2020 3A state golf tournament, Mays tied for fifth by shooting a two-round score of 145, which included a 71 in the second round. Winter Park High School tied for second in the state tournament, which was won by Tallahassee’s Chilies High School.

Over the years, Mays has enjoyed several high finishes on the competitive Florida Junior Tour. Among his four tournaments played in 2020, he tied for second at the Mission Inn Open on July 3 (74-72). Mays also competed at the U.S. Amateur.

“The special players can shoot a low a number and Michael has proven he certainly can do that with a pair of 64’s this season,” Jones said. “A great student, athletic, strong and will only get stronger. He has a great support team behind with his parents and coach Chris Taylor.”

Since 2018, Mays has enjoyed nine Top 10 finishes on the FJT. In 2019 in which he played 11 tournaments, Mays had five finishes in the Top 10, highlighted by a fifth-place showing at Rio Pinar Golf Club (74-74) on May 19, 2019.

Stewart is among the best golfers in the state of Florida, earning a No. 6 class ranking by Junior Golf Scoreboard and a No. 74 ranking overall. Like McCann, Stewart is also a lefty.

Stewart has enjoyed some solid finished on the Florida State Golf Association circuit in 2019-20, tying for ninth at the FJT Rio Pinar Golf Club and tying for 10th at the FJT in Ocala. In the 48th Southern Junior Championship in 2020, he was able to place seventh and also finished seventh at the AJGA at Saddlebrook in 2019.

“Josh was motivated as young golfer by former ACC player of the year Hank Lebioda,” Jones said. “Josh has been one of the state’s top junior players for three years. Being talented, intelligent and committed is a great start to a successful collegiate career.”

He has garnered 11 Top 5 finishes on the FJT, including five second-place finishes. In 2018, he won on the FJT by finishing first at Southwood Golf Club in Tallahassee.

Florida State Men’s Golf’s spring championship schedule will be released in the near future.