Razorbacks Shoot Low Round, Finish 3rd in Regular-Season Finale
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The #40 Arkansas men’s golf team was 11-under-par in the final round, thanks to a 6-under-par 65 from Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira, to move up one spot and finish third with a 54-hole score of 828 (-24) at the 14-team Lewis Chitengwa Memorial, played at the par-71 Birdwood Golf Course.
The Razorbacks improved their postseason resume with the strong finish, going 11-2 for the event and falling only to #7 Florida State (811 / -41) and host #21 Virginia (825 / -27). Arkansas surpassed #6 Auburn in the final round as the Tigers (838/ -14) and #31 Northwestern (838 / -14) tied for fourth.
Not only was the finish impressive, but the team scores were equally impressive.
- Arkansas’ 54-hole score of 828 was a season-best and the fourth-best total in school history while the 24-under-par ranks eighth for lowest score in relation to par.
- The Razorbacks’ 14-under 270 in the opening round was a season-best. It tied for fifth on the school’s best 18-hole score and lowest round in relation to par.
- The team’s final round score of 273 ranks 13th on the school’s best single.
Fernandez de Oliveira rocketed 29 spots up the leaderboard in the final round to tie for 20th (76-70-65) for a 2-under total of 211. The senior started his day with four pars then reeled off six birdies over his next nine holes. He dropped a shot on the par-4, 14th but got back to 6-under with a birdie on the par-, 16th.
While Fernandez de Oliveira was the story Tuesday, Segundo Oliva Pinto was the headliner for the event. He posted three rounds in the 60’s and climbed eight spots in the final round to finish fifth. After a pair of 69’s Monday, he shot a season-low 67 Tuesday and posted a season-best, 8-under-par 205, three shots off the winning score, for 54 holes. In fact, it was his first time to finish 54 holes under par this season and his first time overall since the 2022 CABO Collegiate (Feb. 27-Mar. 1,) where he was 5-under. It was also his first top-10 finish in exactly a year, tying for 10th at the 2022 Aggie Invitational (April 9-10, 2022), and his first top-5 finish since winning the 2021 SEC Championship.
Wil Gibson carded a 2-under-par 69 Tuesday to finish with a 54-hole, career-low 209 and career-best -4 in relation to par to tie for 14th. It was his fourth career top-15 finish and his first since tying for 10th in last season’s season opener – the 2021 Carmel Cup – with a 3-under-par 213.
Julian Perico tied for 22nd (68-72-72=212 / -1) and Manuel Lozada tied for 58th (67-78-77=222 / +9). Christian Castillo, playing as an individual, carded a final-round 68 and jumped 22 spots to tie for 45th (76-74-68=218 / +5). He opened the day with an eagle on the par-5, 10th and added four birdies with three bogeys.
Up next, Arkansas travels to St. Simons Island, Ga., for the 2023 SEC Championship. Stroke play is set for April 19-21 with the top eight team advancing to Match Play.
Lewis Chitengwa Memorial
April 10-11
Host School: Virginia
Birdwood Golf Course // Charlottesville, Va.
7,116 yards || Par 71
Field:
1 #7 Florida State 264-274-273=811 / -41
2 #21 Virginia 272-278–275=825 / -27
3 #40 Arkansas 270-285-273=828 / -24
T4 #6 Auburn 280-274-284=838 / -14
T4 #31 Northwestern 278-283-277=838 / -14
6 Jacksonville 278-280-285=845 / -7
7 Kentucky 287-278-286=851 / -1
8 Virginia Tech 278-290-289=857 / +5
9 Saint Mary’s 282-295-286=863 / +11
10 Loyola (Md.) 288-287-289=864 / +12
11 UNC Wilmington 289-288-299=876 / +24
12 Texas State 288-299-290=877 / +25
13 Kennesaw State 296-294-290=880 / +28
14 East Carolina 295-295-291=881 / +29
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