ORLANDO – The UCF men's golf team secured two new additions on Thursday as head coach Bryce Wallor announced the addition of Cooper Tate and Chase Haygood as the first members of the 2022-23 signing class.
"This recruiting class will be a very important factor in the future success of our golf program," said head coach Bryce Wallor. "We are very excited to announce the signing of Cooper Tate and Chase Haygood as additions to the Knights men's golf program, and we are ecstatic that these two young men both come from the state of Florida."
Cooper Tate
Hometown: Winter Garden, FL
High School: Windermere High School
- 2022 JGSB Class Ranking: 129
- Won the 2021 AJGA Arnold Palmer Invitational Junior shooting scores of 71-68-76
- 2nd at the 2020 FJT Mission Inn Open shooting scores of 75-71
- 2nd at the 2020 AJGA Visit Sanford Junior Open shooting scores of 73-72
- 2nd at the 2020 Pam McCloskey Brosnihan Open shooting scores of 71-70
- 4th at the 2021 FJT Stone Creek GC shooting scores of 69-73
- 4th at the 2021 FJT CC of Winter Haven shooting scores of 68-74
- 5th at the 2021 AJGA Ben An Junior Championship shooting scores of 72-73-77
- 6th at the 2020 FJT Tour Championship shooting scores of 77-71-75
- 8th at the 2020 AJGA Visit Tallahassee Junior Championship shooting scores of 69-75
"Cooper was our first verbal commitment early in this process dating back to the opening month of recruiting for his class in June of 2020," said Wallor. "He is an athletically gifted player who possess great physical strength and has had success in multiple different sports. Not only has Cooper won at the highest level of junior golf by winning the 2021 AJGA Arnold Palmer Invitational Junior, but he has also been ranked as one of the best junior water skiers in our nation, holding four different national titles.
"Cooper takes after his father's success in waterskiing, as Kyle Tate was a National Champion water skier at UCF. Cooper also takes after his brother's golf talent, as Kyler Tate was an NCAA Honorable Mention All-American for the UCF Men's Golf Program."
Chase Haygood
Hometown: Lake Mary, FL
High School: Spruce Creek High School
- 2022 JGSB Class Ranking: 141
- Won the 2020 Top 50 Junior Tour National Championship shooting scores of 69-68
- Won the 2021 Top 50 Junior Tour Eagle Dunes Spring Championship shooting scores of 73-69
- Won the 2021 Top 50 Junior Tour Walt Disney World Palm Open shooting scores of 68-70
- Won the 2020 Top 50 Junior Tour Mission Inn Summer Classic shooting scores of 72-71
- Won the 2020 Top 50 Junior Tour Fall Championship shooing a score of 73
- 2nd at the 2021 Top 50 Junior Tour Eagle Creek Junior Open shooting scores of 72-68
- 2nd at the 2020 Top 50 Junior Tour Royal St. Cloud Golf Links Major Championship shooting scores of 76-72
- 3rd at the 2021 Notah Begay Last Chance Qualifier shooting scores of 74-71 and qualifying for the 2021 Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship
- 4th at the 2021 FJT Junior Match Play Championship shooting scores of 71-72 and making it to the Semi-Finals
- 5th at the 2021 FJT Amelia Island shooting scores of 75-79
"Chase was our second commitment of the 2022 class. Our interaction with Chase began as he qualified for the 2021 FSGA Amateur Championship after recording five wins on the Florida Top 50 Junior Tour," said Wallor. "Immediately upon watching Chase play in the State Amateur, our coaching staff thought that Chase had the type of golf swing and emotional demeanor that would translate to a successful college career. Once we had a chance to meet with Chase and his family on the UCF campus, we were certain that he would be a great addition to our program."