#8 Razorbacks Win Palmas del Mar Collegiate
HUMACAO, Puerto Rico – The #8 Arkansas men’s golf program posted a final-round, 8-under-par 280 to win the 16-team Palmas del Mar Collegiate by seven strokes, finishing with a 27-under total of 837.
John Daly II, Jacob Skov Olesen and Matthis Lefevre were each under par in all three rounds as five Razorbacks finished among the top 12. This marked the team’s second win of the season (also winning the Blessing Collegiate Invitational) and its fourth top-three finish in five events. The team score of -27 ties for the eight-best, 54-hole result in program history and the total of 837 ties for 18th-best, 54-total in program history. Earlier this season, Arkansas also had a 27-under total of 837 to finish seventh at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup.
Arkansas led the field by playing the par 5s at -34 and playing the par 4s at -7.
“Getting this win is a great way to start the spring season,” said head coach Brad McMakin. “We felt good heading into the tournament. The qualifying rounds were very competitive which helped get this group ready mentally and physically. We didn’t putt great the first day, but overall, our ball-striking was great and our length across the board is definitely a strength. I’m proud of these guys.”
Host UNC Greensboro was second (844 / -20), followed by Kennesaw State (845), Michigan (848) and Rutgers (850).
Daly and John Driscoll III tied for seventh with an 8-under total of 280.
Daly was 1-of-3 Razorbacks to post a final-round 69, carding four birdies and a bogey, for his first career top-10 finish. He is the only Razorback to finish among the top 20 in all five events this season. Driscoll, who is on the Ben Hogan Award watch list, had an even-par round of 72 and he leads the team with three top-10 finishes this season.
Olesen also fired a 69 and finished 11th (71-70-69=210 / -6). He started his day with a birdie (on the par-5 3rd) and finished with a birdie. He added birdies on holes 6 and 18 with a bogey on hole 9. Olesen has four top-15 finishes this season and is a combined 22-under par in five events this season.
Lefevre and Manuel Lozada (playing as an individual) tied for 12th with a score of 211 (-5).
Lefevre (70-71-70) had an eagle on his opening hole – the par-5, 3rd – and reeled off 17 straight pars to close the round. Overall, the junior had 41 pars to tie for the lead among the field of 99 golfers. Lozada was the third Razorback to shoot 69 in the final round. After an opening-round 73 to stand in 39th place, Lozada finished with back-ot-back 69s to tie for 12th. It was his third top-15 of the season.
Christian Castillo rounded out the Razorback contingent by tying for 48th at +3 (74-71-74=219).
Arkansas will return to action Mar. 3-5 by serving as host for the 14th annual CABO COLLEGIATE, played at Twin Dolphin Club in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Palmas del Mar Collegiate
Feb. 11-13
Palmas del Mar Golf Club (Flamboyan Course) || Humacao, Puerto Rico
7,122 yards || Par 72
FINAL RESULTS:
1 #8 Arkansas 281-276-280=837 -27
2 #40 UNCG 285-272-287=844 -20
3 Kennesaw State 280-281-284=845 -19
4 Michigan 285-283-280=848 -16
5 Rutgers 286-287-277=850 -14
T6 Elon 291-289-276=856 -8
T8 Mercer 287-293-277=857 -7
T8 Connecticut 288-272-277=857 -7
10 Drexel 286-289-284=859 -5
11 Boston College 294-284-284=862 -2
12 Temple 288-290-287=865 +1
13 High Point 291-283-292=866 +2
14 Virginia Tech 290-292-287=869 +5
15 Samford 304-296-290=890 +26
16 Bucknell 306-299-296=901 +37
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