#8 Arkansas Wins Spring Opener at Watersound
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – Arkansas fired a 5-under-par 275 in the final round to chase down #3 Vanderbilt and win the Watersound Invitational, played at The Third Golf Course at Watersound Club. The #8 Razorbacks had all six golfers place among the top 21 to finish with a 54-hole, 19-under-par 821 for a one-shot victory over the Commodores in the 12-team field.
The win is the second for Arkansas this season and the fifth top-4 finish in five events this season. In the fall, Arkansas claimed the title at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational. Also, it marks the third-straight year the Razorbacks have opened the spring with a win, bringing home the Palmas Del Mar Collegiate each of the last two years.
“This was a great team win as everyone stepped up at different times to contribute all week,” head coach Brad McMakin said. “Also, it was great to start the spring season by playing well, winning and competing against a really strong field. I’m proud of the way our team handled the windy conditions.”
Arkansas led after round one with an 11-under round, but fell to second after 36 holes with a 3-under round, while Vanderbilt moved from this to first, shooting 13-under.
On the final day, Arkansas made a charge through the first nine holes to tie, while Vanderbilt remained stagnant. Coming down the stretch, the Razorbacks played the back nine at 5-under to take the lead with four holes to play. Vandy briefly regained the advantage as Michael Riebe and John Broderick had birdies on hole 1, which was the 18th for Riebe and 16th for Broderick in the shotgun start format.
Arkansas was at 20-under before a late bogey dropped the Hogs to -19 and two strokes off the lead. However, Vanderbilt played the 18th hole – and the final for two Commodores – and 3-over with a bogey and a double bogey.
Gerardo Gomez led the Razorbacks in the final round, carding a 3-under 67. He birdied his second and third holes played – holes 5 and 6 – before dropping a shot in the par-4, 7th. The sophomore played his final 14 holes bogey-free with a pair of birdies. Gomez climbed 23 spots up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for 14th (68-73-67=208 / -2).
Erich Fortlage led Arkansas for the tournament, tying for seventh (66-70-69=205 / -5). He opened with a birdie on hole 1, bogeyed hole 3, then finished his round at 1-under with 14 pars and a birdie on hole 14.
Thomas Curry, playing as an individual, also tied for seventh. He turned in three rounds of 69 for a 54-hole total of 205 (-5).
Niilo Maki-Petaja tied for 12th (207 / -3). He had a pair of 67’s in rounds one and two. In round three, he shot a 73. Cam Smith and John Daly II tied for 21st, finishing with a 1-under 209.
Arkansas returns to action Mar. 13 as it serves as host the CABO Collegiate at Dolphin Club (71) in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Watersound Invitational
Host: Alabama
Third Golf Course at Watersound Club
Panama City Beach, Fla.
Par: 70 • 7,209 yards
Format: 5 count 4 ||18 holes each day
Final Results:
1 #8 Arkansas 269-277-275=821 / -19
2 #3 Vanderbilt 273-267-282=822 / -18
3 #43 TCU 280-275-275=830 / -10
4 #41 Florida State 276-277-278=831 / -9
5 #9 Ole Miss 270-278-285=833 / -7
6 Michigan State 282-278-274=834 / -6
7 Kentucky 281-272-282=835 / -5
8 #11 Alabama 285-278-274=837 / -3
9 Mississippi State 276-285-278=839 / -1
10 Ohio State 286-282-280=848 / +8
11 UConn 287-281-282=850 / +10
12 Navy 281-298-292=871 / +31
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