Razorbacks Defeat Miss State in SEC Match Play Opener; Rd2 Suspended

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Arkansas opened the inaugural SEC Match Play, hosted by Jerry Pate, with a 3-2 win over Mississippi State Sunday at Shoal Creek Club. The second-round matchup with Ole Miss started Sunday afternoon but was halted at 6:15 pm due to darkness.

Versus the Bulldogs, Arkansas senior Segundo Oliva Pinto put a point on the board with a 5&4 win in the opening match versus Pedro Cruz Silva. The pair split the first two holes before Oliva Pinto won holes 4 and 5. Silva opened the back nine by winning the 10th hole. However, Oliva Pinto won the next four holes and closed out the match on the 14th hole.

Soon after, Luke Long posted a 3&2 win over Loic Ettlin for a 2-0 Razorback lead. The match was tied through 10 holes with each player winning three holes through nine holes. Long took a 1-up lead by winning the 11th hole then birdied holes 14 and 15 to go 3-up with three holes to play. Long won the latch with a par on the 16th hole.

Mississippi State’s Jay Nimmo edged Wil Gibson, 2&1, and Bulldog Hunter Logan beat Mateo Fernandez De Oliveira 4&3.

In the third, and what proved to be the third and deciding match, Juan Camilo Vesga claimed a 3&1 victory over Ford Clegg to secure the 3-2 win for Arkansas. Clegg was in control early, taking a pair of 1-up leads through 10 holes. Vesga won holes 11 and 12 to take a 1-up lead. Clegg rallied with a birdie on the 13th hole to square the match. After the two tied the 14th hole, Vesga won the next three holes (15, 16 and 17) for the 3&1 win.

The quarterfinal matchup with Ole Miss is set to resume Monday at 9 am. Win or lose, Arkansas will play two more matches over Monday and Tuesday, for a total of four at the event.

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