#9 Razorbacks Finish 3rd Cabo
LOS CABOS, Mexico – In one the strongest fields in college golf annually, the ninth-ranked Arkansas men’s golf team finished third at the 14th annual Cabo Collegiate, presented by the Rodger and B.A. Kline Foundation, at Twin Dolphin Club (par 71, 7,156 yards). The 15-team field featured 12 of the nation’s top 51 programs, including six of the top 10.
The Razorbacks led after two rounds but shot a 7-over 291 on the final day to finish 2-under-par with a 54-hole total of 850 (281-278-281). Sixth-ranked Arizona State posted an impressive 11-under round of 273 Tuesday and jumped from second to first with a three-day, 19-under total of 833. #11 Texas Tech finished runner-up at -1 (842). Arkansas was the only other team under par for the three days. The top 10 was rounded out by #3 Vanderbilt (853 / +1), #5 Ole Miss (857), #12 Florida State (857), #7 Tennessee (860), Houston (863), #51 Stanford (863) and #18 Cal (865).
Arizona State won the Cabo Collegiate for the second time in seven appearances – winning in 2020 – and snapped a two-year streak of titles by the Commodores.
In six events this season, Arkansas has placed among the top 3 five times, including two wins. The third-place finish at Cabo for the host Razorbacks is the program’s best since winning the event in 2010 and ’11.
In addition to the top teams, the field featured 10 of the top 25 players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen – the 4th-ranked amateur in the world – held off Ole Miss’ Michael La Sasso to win the individual title. Thorbjornsen will additionally receive an exemption to play in the PGA TOUR’s 2024 World Wide Technology Championship, held Nov. 7-10 at Diamante Cabo San Lucas. Thorbjornsen fired a final-round 69 to hold onto his 356-hole lead and finished 10-under par (69-65-69=203). La Sasso carded a final-round 64 with an eagle and two birdies on three of his final four holes to finish at -9 (72-68-64=204).
Other big names competing at this year’s Cabo Collegiate included #2 Gordon Sargent (Vanderbilt, finished T38), #8 Wenyi Ding (Arizona State, finished T10), #9 Preston Summerhays (Arizona State, finished 3rd), #14 Luke Clanton (Florida State, finished T23), #16 Jose Luis Ballester (Arizona State, finished T10), #17 Cole Sherwood (Vanderbilt, finished T14), #18 Frederik Kjettrup (Florida State, finished T7), #19 William Moll (Vanderbilt, finished T7) and #21 Sampson Zheng (Cal, finished T10).
The Razorbacks were led by Jacob Skov Olesen, who finished fourth at -7 (68-67-71=206). He was 2-over through 17 holes Tuesday but holed out from 110 yards with a sand wedge on the par-4 18th to record an eagle to shoot an even-par 71. Olesen played the par-4s at -4 over the three days, which tied for second-best in the field. By tying for fourth, Olesen has finished among the top 5 in two events this year, four times in his career, and he now leads the team with eight rounds in the 60s this season.
John Daly II tied for 20th as he is the only Razorback to finish among the top 20 in all six events this season. Daly finished with 39 pars, two behind the tournament leader and recorded rounds of 69-70-75 for a 1-over total of 214.
John Driscoll III climbed nine spots to finish in a tie for 30th at +4 (75-71-71=217). He only had eight pars, but still posted an even-par round of 71 thanks to six birdies, two bogeys and two doubles. He birdied his 17th hole of the day – the par-5 1st – and Olesen’s eagle on the final hole helped the Razorbacks edge Vanderbilt for third. By shooting par in the second and third rounds, Driscoll has 14 rounds at par of better this season to lead the team.
Thomas Curry also tied for 30th (70-70-77=217 / +4) and Manuel Lozada tied for 50th (74-74-74=222 / +9). Mateo Pulcini and Matthis Lefevre each competed as individuals. Pulcini ted for 38th (68-74-77=219 / +6) and Lefevre tied for 62nd (77-78-71=226/ +13).
Up next, Arkansas will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to play in the Seminole Intercollegiate Mar. 11-12.
CABO COLLEGIATE
Presented by Rodger S. and Barbara Ann Kline Foundation
Host School: Arkansas
Mar. 3-5
Twin Dolphin Club || Los Cabos, Mexico
7,156 yards || Par 71
FINAL TEAM RESULTS:
1 #6 Arizona State 276-284-273=833 (-19)
2 #11 Texas Tech 290-272-280=842 (-10)
3 #9 Arkansas 281-278-291=850 (-2)
4 #3 Vanderbilt 287-279287=853 (+1)
T5 #5 Ole Miss 292-281-284=857 (+5)
T5 #12 Florida State 293-283-281=857 (+5)
7 #7 Tennessee 288-282-290=860 (+8)
T8 Houston 277-291-295=863 (+11)
T8 #51 Stanford 288-281-294=863 (+11)
10 #18 Cal 288-287-290=865 (+13)
11 #8 Arizona 290-289-290=869 (+17)
12 #37 Baylor 294-287-292=873 (+21)
12 Rice 298-292-291=881 (+29)
14 #33 Oklahoma State 297-291-295=883 (+31)
15 Columbia 311-325-334=970 (+118)
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