Razorbacks 6th; Oliva Pinto T4 After Round 1

FAYETTEVILLE – Newcomers Segundo Oliva Pinto and Manuel Lozada are both among the top 15 to lead Arkansas to a sixth-place finish after 18 holes at the inaugural Blessings Collegiate Invitational, presented by Tyson Foods, Monday at Blessings Golf Club (par 72, 7,503 yards for the men).

Round two is set for Tuesday. The tee times were moved up with the Razorbacks set to begin at 9:45 am (CT) off hole #1.

The event its not only the season opener, but it also features all 14 men’s and women’s programs from the SEC playing the same course at the same time. Tennessee leads the men’s field, carding an 8-under-par 280, followed by Kentucky and Texas A&M, each at even par (288). Arkansas is sixth with an opening-round score of 293 (+5).

Oliva Pinto, a junior transfer from UNC Wilmington, and Lozada, a freshman, both hail from Cordoba, Argentina. Oliva Pinto fired a 2-under-ar 70 and is tied for fourth after 18 holes. Lozada turned in an even-par 72 to stand in a tie for 14th. Both players posted five birdies, which was the third-best total on the day.

Oliva Pinto, who began on the 10th hole with his four Razorback teammates, started hot with birdies on holes 10, 11 and 13. He dropped a shot on the par-4, 14th hole before parring out to shoot a 2-under, 34 on his first nine holes. On his remaining nine holes, Oliva Pinto offset two bogeys with two birdies – both coming on par 3’s. Overall, Oliva Pinto played the par 3’s at 3-under-par, which led the field on day one.

Lozada made the turn at +1 due to a double on the par-3, 17th hole. He reeled off four pars then got to 1-under for the day with birdies on holes 4 and 5. He ended his round with two bogeys and a birdie on the par-3, 8th to finish with an even-par 72.

Julian Perico is tied for 27th after an opening-round 2-over-par 74. He finished his front nine with an impressive chip-in for birdie on the 18th hole. He dropped a pair of shots on holes 1 and 2 only to rally with three birdies over his next four holes to get to even. However, bogeys on holes 7 and 8 left him 2-over for the day.

Tyson Reeder, who tallied a team-best 12 pars, is tied for 43rd (77). Wil Gibson, who had 11 pars, is tied for 59th (79).