David Ford (2025) - Patterson Medal Winners - University of North Carolina Athletics

David Ford

Induction:
2025
Class:
2025

2025 – David Ford: Men’s Golf (Peachtree Corners, Ga.)
Ford was the consensus National Player of the Year as a senior, won his second Atlantic Coast Conference Player-of-the-Year Award, was the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and led the nation in scoring as he broke the single-season ACC scoring record. He was the No. 1-ranked player in the country, won PGA TOUR University to earn his PGA TOUR card and set the single-season UNC record with five wins.

He shattered nearly every standard in the Carolina record book, including single-season marks as a senior for scoring average (68.78), combined score to par (-89), combined score to par per round (-2.47) and rounds in the 60s (25); and career records for scoring (70.13), combined score to par (-162), combined score to par per round (-1.13), rounds in the 60s (66) and match play victories (10).

Ford was the first Tar Heel to win three consecutive tournaments and equaled Dustin Bray’s career record for wins with seven. He helped UNC win 17 team tournaments, finish in the top five in the NCAA Championships an unprecedented three straight seasons and win the 2024 ACC Championship.

His 68.78 average in 2024-25 topped the previous UNC record by nearly a stroke and was the fourth-best in NCAA single-season history. He finished his career No. 2 in ACC history and No. 6 in NCAA history in scoring average. He was one of only three Tar Heels ever to shoot under par in their career (-162) and finished 128 strokes further under par than any other player in UNC history.

Ford made the Walker Cup-clinching putt for the United States in 2023 at the Old Course at St Andrews and represented the U.S. in two Palmer Cups and a World Amateur Team Championship. He was the second men’s golfer to win a Patterson Medal and the second in as many years (Austin Greaser in 2024).