Three Razorbacks Among World’s Top 150 Amateurs

FAYETTEVILLE – The Arkansas men’s golf program features three of its own – William Buhl, Segundo Oliva Pinto and Julian Perico – among the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) top 150.

Buhl leads the way at 129, followed by Oliva Pinto at 136 and Perico at 148.

Buhl, who holds dual citizenship in the United States (Fairhope, Ala,.) and Norway, is the second-highest rated player from Norway in the WAGR and is ranked 47th in Europe by the WAGR and the European Golf Association. Oliva Pinto (Argentina) and Perico (Peru) are the highest-rated amateur golfers from their respective countries in the WAGR.

Buhl will be playing in the European Amateur Championship Sept. 2-5 at the Golf Du Medoc Resort (Chateaux Course) in Le Pian-Medoc, France. Former European Amateur Champions include Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia. Buhl won the 2019 Canadian Amateur Championship and has played in each of the last two U.S. Amateur Championships. While it did not count toward his WAGR ranking, Buhl tallied a top-10 finish at the All Pro Tour’s NWA Charity Classic at Bella Vista (June 24-27), shooting 16-under-par at the event.

Oliva Pinto, a junior who transferred into the program this summer, climbed 44 spots in the WAGR after reaching the Round of 16 at the U.S. Amateur Championship. The Argentinian fired rounds of 68-75 to qualify for the match play portion of the U.S. Am. Down one with two holes to play in the opening round of match play, Oliva Pinto won the 17th hole to square his match then defeated John Gough (WAGR #188) in 19 holes. In the Round of 32, Oliva Pinto defeated McClure Meissner (WAGR #24), 2&1. His run came to an end on the 18th hole in the Round of 16 with a loss to eventual champion Tyler Strafaci (WAGR #32).

Perico jumped 22 spots in the WAGR to 148 after a strong performance at the U.S. Amateur Championship. The Lima, Peru, native tied for seventh after stroke play with rounds of 67-71. He defeated Andres Schonbaum, 3&2, in the Round of 64 of match play. In the Round of 32, Perico faced Strafaci. The match was tied through 15 holes before Strafaci won holes 16 and 17 for the 2&1 victory. Earlier in the summer, Perico placed sixth at the Southern Amateur and 31st at the Sunnehanna Amateur to help boost his ranking.

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