LUKE GIFFORD CAREER STATS
PEPPERDINE 2022-23: Earned
GCAA/PING All-American honorable mention … Ranked #51 in the PGA Tour University rankings, #117 by Golfstat and #131 by Golfweek/Sagarin … Awarded
All-WCC first team honors … Appeared in all 38 rounds with a 72.21 average … Had six top-20 finishes … Tied for 11
th at the NCAA Championships stroke play (71-78-74=280) ... Also tied for 15
th at the Southwestern Invitational (75-71-71=217) ... Appeared in match play at the NCAA Championships.
SOUTH FLORIDA: Graduated from the University of South Florida in 2022 with a degree in integrated public relations and advertising ... Named the 2022 American Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year ... Earned 2020 GCAA/PING All-Southeast Region honors ... Made the 2021 American All-Conference first team ... Ranked fourth in career scoring average at USF (72.03 in 119 rounds) ... Led the team in 2020 with a 71.04 scoring average and ranked 70th by Golfweek/Sagarin at the end of the pandemic-shortened season ... Was at 72.28 as a 2021-22 senior ... Competed at the 2022 NCAA Championships and at three NCAA Regionals ... Helped the Bulls win the 2021 AAC championship ... The co-medalist at the 2019 Marquette Intercollegiate ... A three-time GCAA All-American Scholar and a three-time AAC All-Academic team member.
AMATEUR/JUNIOR GOLF: Played at the 2020 and 2022 U.S. Amateur Championships ... Was as high as top 40 in the Golfweek/Sagarin junior rankings ... Won the 2017 Dixie Amateur and the 2017 AJGA Open ... Captured titles on the Florida Junior Tour as a high school junior at Quail Ridge and Palm Air, and at Kingsway and Don Veller as a sophomore ... Ranked eighth by the Junior Golf Scoreboard and 40th by Golfweek in 2018.
HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from the HEED homeschooling program in 2018 ... Competed with the golf team at Spanish River High School, located in Boca Raton, Fla., his final two years ... Named the Sun-Sentinel’s Palm Beach County Player of the Year as a senior ... Actually played seven years of high school golf beginning in middle school, first at Boca Raton Christian High School ... A five-time Sun-Sentinel all-county selection (twice on the first team, twice on the second team and once honorable mention) ... Won district titles in 2013 and 2017.
PERSONAL: Pursuing a master’s degree in dispute resolution ... Born in Boca Raton, Fla. ... Son of Eric Gifford and Angela Gifford ... Has one sister, Kate ... A grandfather, David Villari, played baseball at the University of Tampa ... Chose to attend Pepperdine “in an effort to push myself as a person and as a player. In my final year of college golf, I felt it was important to be challenged in a new environment, competing against the best players, both at Pepperdine and on the road with their impressive schedule. I also wanted a chance to learn under coaches with proven track records such as the ones Coach Beard and Coach Zambri have. Finally, Pepperdine's incredible facilities and courses, along with California's ideal weather, made it an easy decision to call it my new home.”
FAVORITES: Enjoys being competitive, cooking, drawing and watching Netflix ... Lists his sports hero as family friend Bernhard Langer ... Favorites include Justin Thomas (pro golfer), Laurel Ridge Golf and Country Club (golf course), 7 Days in Utopia (book), The Upside (movie), Hawaii Five-0 (TV show), Post Malone (musical artist), sushi (food) and ping pong, pickleball and soccer (sports other than golf) ... Favorite thing about golf is “the individuality of the sport. If you win it is because of you, and if you lose it is because of you. It holds you 100 percent accountable with the outcome.”
