Razorbacks Make 1st Cut at NCAA Championship
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira shot a 2-under-par 68 to move into a tie for fifth and ensure Arkansas advanced to the fourth and final round of stroke play at the 2022 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, played at Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course (par 70, 7,289-yards).
Arkansas will play with Texas and Auburn Monday with tee times ranging from 1:06 to 1:50 pm (CT). Television coverage on GOLF Channel for the final round will begin at 3 pm (CT).
The Razorbacks are eighth after three rounds (866 / +26) and made the 54-hole cut as one of the top 15 teams. Monday’s final round of stroke play will crown an individual champion and the top eight teams will advance to match play to determine the team champion.
Arkansas carded a 6-over 286 for the second straight day and hold the coveted eighth spot by three strokes over Auburn and Texas Tech. Overall, there will be six SEC teams among the top 15 including Vanderbilt (3rd), Auburn (T-9th), Florida (11th), Georgia (12th) and Ole Miss (T-14th).
“We got off to a bad start this morning,” head coach Brad McMakin said. “Then we bounced back and played extremely well on the back nine. In fact, it was probably the best nine holes we played all year long. I was really pleased with our guys coming down the stretch. But we’ve put ourselves in a good position to finish this thing off tomorrow.”
Arkansas started on hole 10 and only had one birdie on the opening nine holes – the par-4, 14th hole by Fernandez de Oliveira. He was bogey free over his first nine holes and Arkansas was 6-over at the turn.
The struggle continued to start the inward nine as Razorbacks had three bogeys and a birdie on the first three holes. Despite it all, Arkansas never dropped outside the top 15. From that point, Fernandez de Oliveira and Julian Perico both played their final six holes at 2-under while Luke Long and Segundo Oliva Pinto were both +1 over the final six holes.
“Mateo had a great day with just one bogey, which was a difficult feat today,” McMakin said. “He been so consistent all year and is showing he belongs among the nation’s best. Julian (Perico) got off to a bad start, shooting 4-over, but came back with three birdies on the back nine for a 72, which was key to our round today. I’m really proud of him”
Overall, Fernandez de Oliveira moved up nine spots into a tie for fifth. He stands at even par (71-71-68=210) and four strokes off the lead.
Segundo Oliva Pinto turned in a 3-over 73 with two bogeys on each side and a birdie. He is tied for 17th at 3-over (214) for the Championship. Perico is tied for 32nd and is 6-over (216) through 54 holes. After four pars to start his round, he made an impressive double-bogey on the par-4, 14th then closed his front nine with bogeys on holes 16 and 18. Perico then opened the inward nine with three pars before reeling off three birdies over his next five holes. However, he dropped a shot in his final hole, the par-4, 9th to settle for his 72.
Luke Long had his best round of the championship with a 3-over-par 73. He is tied for 124th (78-79-73=230). Wil Gibson is tied for 132nd (79-75-79=233).
2022 NCAA Championship
Results Thru Rd3 – Top 15 Advance
Par: 70 || Yards: 7,289
Team Standings:
1 #1 Oklahoma 287 275 277 839 -1
2 #2 Oklahoma State 289 277 277 843 +3
3 #3 Vanderbilt 282 282 281 845 +5
4 #5 North Carolina 288 281 280 849 +9
5 #6 Pepperdine 294 282 277 853 +13
6 #4 Arizona State 290 292 277 859 +19
7 #7 Texas 291 291 278 860 +20
8 #14 Arkansas 294 286 286 866 +26
T9 #17 Auburn 285 296 288 869 +29
T9 #8 Texas Tech 297 287 285 869 +29
11 #10 Florida 300 285 286 871 +31
12 #15 Georgia 291 292 289 872 +32
13 #27 Oregon 285 300 291 876 +36
T14 #23 Ole Miss 297 287 293 877 +37
T14 #11 Georgia Tech 298 289 290 877 +37
16 #12 Texas A&M 300 287 292 879 +39
17 #25 Kansas 286 297 297 880 +40
18 #13 Stanford 295 290 297 882 +42
T19 #26 Arizona 286 306 291 883 +43
T19 #16 Wake Forest 303 285 295 883 +43
T21 #18 Florida State 291 300 296 887 +47
T21 #41 Brigham Young 295 302 290 887 +47
23 #32 Ohio State 300 300 293 893 +53
24 #33 North Florida 306 298 291 895 +55
25 #44 Georgia Southern 295 305 297 897 +57
26 #38 Liberty 290 303 305 898 +58
27 #47 Utah 297 311 296 904 +64
28 #31 South Florida 303 304 300 907 +67
29 #30 East Tennessee St. 297 308 306 911 +71
30 #49 College of Charleston 305 313 295 913 +73
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Golf, follow @RazorbackMGolf on Twitter.
