It’s the story of two childhood best friends and the Canadian golf coach that left Las Vegas to bring them together.
When Sam Horsfield and Kyler Tate were competing against each other at just 8 years old, the two would’ve never anticipated that one day they’d be playing college golf together at UF.
As fate would have it, the two now find themselves playing under second-year UF coach JC Deacon as freshmen on the men’s golf team.
The two have been quick to make an impact. Horsfield started all five Fall tournaments in his first semester and had three top-five finishes. Tate played in four tournaments and twice placed in the top 20.
But what’s more interesting than why they’re at UF is how they got there.
"I think it was in a practice round at PGA national," Horsfield said. "We were like 8 or 9.
"His dad asked my dad if we could practice together on the weekends … and then we started playing quite a bit of golf."
Tate was living near Gainesville in Keystone Heights at the time, and he recalls making the trips with his dad to meet up with Sam.
"We would drive down to where Sam lives in Davenport — about 2 hours — on the weekends that we could, and we’d go practice with him," Tate said. "And then I became pretty good buddies with him."
The two developed a deep friendship. It wasn’t just about golf, either. The two would play basketball and football, and even ski together as they grew up off the course.
Tate would eventually move to Winter Garden — much closer to Davenport. And before they knew it, the two were old enough to drive to each other’s courses.
Soon, Horsfield had become one of the most sought-after golf recruits in the nation. Winning the state championship for his 3A high school and a victory in the 2013 Florida State Amateur made him the No. 2 recruit in the class of 2015, according to Golfweek.com.
Horsfield committed to UF in March of 2014, ready to play under revered coach Buddy Alexander, who had led the Gators to two national championships in 1993 and 2001. But everything changed on April 22, 2014, when the Gatorzone headline read: "Gators Golf Coach Buddy Alexander to Retire at End of Season, Capping 27-Year Run."
Two months later, JC Deacon, University of Las Vegas alum and former assistant coach, was named head coach. Horsfield stuck with UF, and, in doing so, he also saw an opportunity to help out his friend.
You see, while all of this was going on, Tate was still searching for where he’d be going to college. He hadn’t played in the same top tournaments Horsfield had played in, and that reflected in the interest college golf programs showed in him.
"When Sam committed to Florida, I might’ve had one offer," Tate said.
"If you would’ve asked me when I was a sophomore if I would’ve played for the University of Florida, I would’ve told you there’s a zero percent chance."
Schools like South Florida and West Point showed interest in recruiting Tate for golf, but Tate waited for greener pastures. And that’s where Kyler’s buddy Sam came in.
Sam recommended that Deacon take a peek at Tate.
Coming from the west coast, Deacon didn’t know much about junior golfers on the other side of the country, and he said that he didn’t bother recruiting players from Florida.
"I met with Sam for the first time … and when we got done talking about him and our future here at UF, he said, ‘You need to take a look at my buddy Kyler Tate. He’s a pretty good player,’" Deacon recalled from the first time Sam mentioned Kyler.
And soon enough, Deacon took Sam up on his offer and took a gamble on Kyler.
Tate had just won a tournament that summer when Deacon took the trip to Tampa to watch him in a subsequent boys’ junior competition.
"I remember the first time I ever saw him swing," Deacon said. "I hadn’t spoken to him, but he kind of had that look about him, that confident look. ... (He) looked like an athlete, and sure enough, he was just a perfect fit for where we’re going."
"You could just see the way he was walking around on the golf course, how he conducted himself. He was a confident kid."
Tate had a great summer and, with the help of his friend Sam, was actively sought out by Deacon and his staff. Tate verbally committed to UF in August of 2014, right before the start of his senior year.
"He’ll probably be grateful and thankful for what Sam did for him for the rest of his life," Deacon said.
"I mean, I really don’t know if I would’ve recruited him harder or less, but, you know, Sam really was the reason that Kyler was brought up. And I know Kyler understands that and appreciates it."
The two are so close that it seems no thanks are necessary. And from the way Deacon describes it, there’s a possibility the two are only together so they can beat down on each other.
"You can always tell best friends when they don’t take anything seriously that each other say, Deacon said. "And those two … they really give each other a hard time and push each other."
While they may be adversaries in qualifying rounds, the two know how lucky they are to carry on their golf careers together. When asked if he would’ve ever imagined playing college golf with his best friend, Horsfield said he is still in disbelief.
"Boy, I don’t know if I would’ve believed you. We’ve both come so far as people and golfers," he said.
"I think that’s pretty cool that I can play college golf with one of my best friends."
When it’s all said and done, Sam and Kyler will always be friends first and golfers second.
And whether they’re hitting drives or exchanging high-fives, the two will hold on to the memories they make, both in school and golf, over the course of their lives.
Follow Matt Brannon on Twitter @MattB_727
Courtesy of Gatorzone.com
Courtesy of Gatorzone.com
