Razorback MGolf Leads After 36 Holes at Vuori Invitational
RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. – The #8/10 Arkansas men’s golf team fired rounds of 284-283 on Monday and leads the inaugural Vuori Invitational, played at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) Golf Club and hosted by the University of San Diego, by five strokes with a 36-hole total of 567 (-1).
Gerardo Gomez led the Razorbacks with a 4-under 67 in the morning session while Thomas Curry matched that effort in the afternoon.
“Proud of these guys,” head coach Brad McMakin said. “We made some mistakes, which is understandable for the first tournament of the year, but we also hit a lot of quality shots. This is a tough course and the wind was blowing pretty good, which led to very firm and fast greens. Gerry had a solid opening 18 and Thomas’ second round was incredible.”
Gomez was the co-leader after round one and sits in a tie for fourth after 36 holes. He opened the 2026-27 season with birdies on the first two holes. After a bogey on 6, he birdied holes 8 and 9 to make the turn at 3-under. He reeled off seven pars to start the back nine before a birdie on the par-3, 17th to record his 67. Gomez had a par on 18, then reeled off 10 straight pars to start round two.
Curry was 2-over after the morning session and was in 31st place but improved 28 spots after his round-two 67 to put him in third after 36 holes. The senior was even after nine holes in round two with a birdie and a bogey. Then, he turned on the afterburners with a bogey-free back nine, including birdies on 10, 12, 17 and 18.
Freshman and preseason All-American Lev Grinberg carded a pair 71’s and is tied for 12th after 36 holes.
Niilo Maki-Petaja joined Curry with a burst up the leaderboard in the afternoon session. He was 4-over after 18 holes then rocketed up 33 spots into a tie for 16th with a 1-under 70 in round two.
Willie Gordon is tied for 33rd. He was 1-over after 18 holes and had an up-and-down, 4-over round in the afternoon session. He had five birdies, three bogeys and a par on the front nine in round two, then was 6-over on his final nine holes.
Freshman Guus Lafeber is playing as an individual and he shot 75-74 on Monday.
The third and final round is set for Tuesday.
Vuori Invitational
Sept. 14-15, 2026
Host: San Diego
Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club
Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Par 72 — 7,003 yards
(preseason ranking from Coaches Poll)
1 #8/10 Arkansas 284-283=568 / -1
2 Colorado 287-285=572 / +4
3 Oregon 285-290=575 / +7
4 #18/23 Brigham Young 288-289=577 / +9
5 Pacific 282-297=579 / +11
6 #22/#27 Southern Cal 290-290=580 / +12
8 #38 San Diego 289-293=582 / +14
T9 Colorado State 291-294=585 / +17
T9 Long Beach State 289-296+585 / +17
11 Tulsa 288-300=588 / +20
12 San Jose State 311-293=604 / +36
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Golf, X and Instagram.
