Razorbacks Slip in RD2 at NCAA Championships
CARLSBAD, Calif. – The sixth-ranked Arkansas men’s golf team shot a 10-over-par 298 and slipped into a tie for 20th place after two rounds at the NCAA Championships, played at the par-72 Omni La Costa Resort – North Course.
The Razorbacks have a 36-hole total of 586 (+10) and are looking to move up among the top 15 teams after the third round Sunday to play in the fourth and final round Monday.
“It was disappointing that we couldn’t take advantage of some good scoring conditions today,” head coach Brad McMakin said. “We just couldn’t get anything going early, and it continued throughout the round. We weren’t giving ourselves many good scoring chances and, when we did, we couldn’t capitalize. It looks like we will be playing in the afternoon tomorrow, so we will know exactly what we will need to do to advance.”
Tio-ranked Auburn had the best round of the day, a 16-under 272, to lead by eight strokes over Texas and Vanderbilt, each shooting an 11-under 277. The current cut line for the top 15 is +3 after two rounds.
Gerardo Gomez, Erich Fortlage and John Daly II each turned in rounds of 74 (+2).
Gomez did start well with a birdie on his second hole, the par-4 11th. He dropped shots on holes 13 and 15 but got back to even with a birdie on his 13th hole – the par-4, 4th. However, he closed with bogeys on his 14th, 16th and 18th holes with a birdie mixed in on his 17th hole.
Fortlage and Daly led the team with four birdies each. Fortlage only had two bogeys, but added two double bogeys. Daly nearly had his first collegiate hole-in-one on the par-3, 16th – his 7th hole of the day.
Cam Smith posted a 4-over 76 and Thomas Curry shot 77.
2026 NCAA Championship
Stroke Play: May 29-June 1 (Fri-Mon.)
Location: Omni La Costa Resort – North Course || Carlsbad, Calif.
Par: 72 || Yards: 7,538 yards
Host: Texas
Format: 5 count 4, 18 holes each day for 3 Rds; top 15 teams and 9 individuals advance to Rd4; end of Rd4, an individual champion crowned and the top 8 teams advance to match play.
Results Thru Rd2:
1 #1 Auburn 284-272=556 / -20
T2 #3 Texas 287-277=564 / -12
T2 #11 Vanderbilt 287-277=564 / -12
T4 #30 UCLA 280-289+569 / -7
T4 #5 Oklahoma State 295-274=569 / -7
T6 #12 Arizona 287-285=572 / -4
T6 #29 Duke 286-286=572 / -4
T6 #4 Virginia 288-284=572 / -4
T9 #10 North Carolina 287-288=575 / -1
T9 #14 Pepperdine 285-290=575 / -1
11 #16 Oklahoma 292-284=576 / E
T12 #42 San Diego 286-291=577 / +1
T12 #15 Stanford 291-286=577 / +1
T14 #56 Chattanooga 294-285=579 / +3
T14 #18 Tennessee 292-287=579 / +3
16 #2 Florida 291-290=581 / +5
17 #39 Arkansas State 295-287=582 / +6
18 #23 Georgia 292-291=583 / +7
19 #13 Arizona State 291-293=584 / +8
T20 #6 ARKANSAS 288-298=586 / +10
T20 #22 Brigham Young 296-290=586 / +10
22 #20 Texas A&M 299-289=588 / +12
23 #33 Louisville 294-296=590 / +14
24 #40 Purdue 296-295=591 / +15
25 #37 Mississippi State 298-294=592 / +16
26 #57 Memphis 301-293=594 / +18
T27 #9 Ole Miss 303-293+596 / +20
T27 #7 LSU 303-293+596 / +20
29 #28 USC 297-300=597 / +21
30 #26 Florida State 307-292=599 / +23
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