No. 6 Arkansas Two Shots Off Lead After Round One at SEC Championship

BELLAIR, Fla. – No. 6 Arkansas women’s golf finished the opening round of the SEC Championship at Pelican Golf Club (Par 70) at 2-under par and two shots off leaders Vanderbilt and Texas A&M at 4-under.

The top eight teams, who advance to match play after 54 holes, are separated by just four strokes with ninth-place Auburn three shots over the projected cut line of even par.

Reagan Zibilski (-3, T4) owned Arkansas’ best round of the day with a 3-under 67. The senior birdied four of her first six holes and finished 3-under on her first nine holes. Zibilski had a pair of birdies and a pair of bogeys on her second nine but finished the round with a difficult 15-footer for birdie on the par-3 ninth hole, the second hardest hole on the course on Friday. She was one of two to birdie No. 9 in round one.

Sara Brentcheneff (-2, T7) added a 2-under 68 in her postseason debut and picked up where she left off in last month’s Clemson Invitational, where she finished T5 for her highest collegiate finish.

The Lyon, France native parred eight of her first nine holes with a birdie on the par-3 15th hole. Her tee shot ended up beyond the green, but she chipped in for birdie from 20 feet.

Brentcheneff made a run on her second nine with three straight birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7, but bogeyed the par-4 eighth, the hardest hole on Friday.

Maria Jose Marin (+1, T30), making her third SEC Championship start, got off to a slow start with three straight bogeys on Nos. 10, 11 and 12. The junior settled in with six pars before making the turn at 3-over. Marin did not suffer any blemishes on her second nine and added a pair of birdies on Nos. 2 and 7. Marin was the only Razorback who did not drop a shot on No. 8.

Freshman Swetha Sathish (+2, T38) was 1-under with 15 pars and a birdie headed into her last two holes, but bogeyed the eighth and three-putted the par-3 ninth for a double to close her round.

Junior Abbey Schutte’s 10-over 80 was Arkansas’ dropped score in the first round.

The Hogs will tee off at 7:10 a.m. CT with Schutte off No. 10. The squad will play alongside No. 3 Florida and No. 5 Texas.

Round Two Tee Times – No. 10

7:10 – Abbey Schutte
7:20 – Swetha Sathish
7:30 – Maria Jose Marin
7:40 – Sara Brentcheneff
7:50 – Reagan Zibilski

For more information on Arkansas women’s golf, follow @RazorbackWGolf on social media.