Arkansas; Daly II Take Home Titles at Blessings Collegiate Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas men’s golf team was the only team under par in Wednesday’s final round, carding a 9-under-par 279, and pulled away for a 17-stroke victory, posting a 54-hole score of 861 (-3) to win the sixth annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational, presented by Tyson Foods, at the Blessings Golf Club.
Arkansas’ convincing win came on the strength of all five of its team members finishing among the top 11, including champion John Daly II, Cam Smith and Erich Fortlage tying for third, Gerardo Gomez tying for fifth and Niilo Maki-Petaja tying for 11th. In addition, Razorback junior Thomas Curry, playing as an individual, tied for 20th.
Arkansas also teamed with its women’s counterpart to win the combined team title as the Razorbacks teamed up to shoot 11-under par to defeat the Louisville men’s and women’s teams, which were +66, a 77-stroke victory.
The Hogs’ 9-under-par final round ties for the third-best 18-hole team total in the BCI’s history and the 17-stroke win by Arkansas marks the second-largest margin of victory.
The Razorbacks started strong as Smith birdied the third hole, Gomez, Smith and Maki-Petaja birdied the fourth, Gomez and Daly birdied the fifth and Gomez birdied the sixth. The team suffered a setback with three bogies on the par-4 seventh. The back nine saw Smith and Gomez birdie three of the first four holes and Fortlage eagle the 11, holing out from the fairway on his second shot on the par-4, 11th.
While the team race was safely in hand, the individual title came down to the final holes as six players all made a run, including Daly, Fortlage, Smith, Gomez, Warren Thomis (Louisville) and Cooper Claycomb (Louisville).
Thomis, who was the co-leader after round two thanks to five birdies to finish his round, shot a final-round 72 and was even through 54 holes as he put pressure on Daly with a birdie on the final hole. Claycomb birdied holes 15 and 17 to finish with a 73 and a 54-hole score of +2.
Ultimately, Daly won with a 3-under 69 on Wednesday and a 54-hole total of 214 (-2). He was 1-under at the turn with birdies on holes 5 and 8 to go along with a bogey on 7. He then fired a bogey-free inward nine, with birdies on holes 13 and 15. Even though he had a 2-stroke lead going into the final hole, Daly caught a tough break as his drive came to rest on the edge of a fairway bunker with an awkward stance. He rose to the occasion, reaching the green and two-putting for the win.
It was his second career victory, winning the 36-hole Columbia Spring Invitational last spring. It was also his second win at the Blessings Golf Club as he shot a 9-under 278 over four days to win the Southern Amateur this past July.
Gomez was pressing Daly in the final round. After a bogey on the first hole, Gomez played the next 12 holes at 7-under with birdies on holes 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12 and 13. A bogey on 14 proved to be his undoing for the title. However, the sophomore still shot a career-low 67 (-5) and recorded his first career top-5 finish.
Also coming down the stretch, Smith had five birdies over the final nine holes and Fortlage had an eagle and a birdie to finish 1-over for the tournament to toe for third.
Arkansas will close the fall portion of its schedule Oct. 18-20 at the Fallen Oak Invitational in Mississippi.
BLESSINGS COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL
Sept. 29-Oct. 1 • 18 holes each day
Blessings Golf Club
Fayetteville, Ark.
Par 72 || 7,969 yards
Final Results (Men):
1 Arkansas 293-289-279=861 / -3
2 Louisville 299-290-289=878 / +14
3 Brigham Young 299-298-295=892 / +28
4 Kansas State 301-299-295=895 / +31
5 Mississippi State 311-298-297=906 / +42
6 Missouri 306-295-306-=907 / +43
7 Washington State 303-301-307=911 / +47
8 Kent State 302-303-309=914 / +50
9 Maryland 319-289-313=921 / +57
10 UNC Greensboro 303-314-308=925 / +61
For more information, follow on:
Twitter – @RazorbackMGolf / @BlessingsCI
Instagram – @RazorbackWGolf / @blessingscollegiate
