FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas and the Blessings Golf Club have been selected as one of six host sites for the 2013 NCAA Men’s Golf Regionals it was announced on Thursday.

Arkansas was informed of the host site announcement by the NCAA along with LSU, Florida State, Ohio State, Washington State and Arizona State. The tournament will be the first collegiate men’s tournament held at the Blessings in Johnson.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity to play a regional at our home course,” Arkansas Coach Brad McMakin said. “Playing at home, especially at a course like the Blessings, is a distinct advantage on making the cut to advance to the NCAA Championships. This is not a course where you can miss a shot and recover from easily, it forces players to be at their best on every shot so that the top teams move on to the national championship. We are extremely fortunate at the University of Arkansas to have the support of John Tyson and the Blessings Golf Club to bring NCAA Championship golf to Northwest Arkansas.”

The Blessings just recently hosted the American Junior Golf Association’s (AJGA) prestigious Rolex Tournament of Champions as well as other AJGA events like the 2009 AJGA Open event and a 2008 AJGA event. The 7,527-yard, par 72 course was completed in 2004 and has flexibility in its layout to set it up for the best possible competition.

The 2013 men’s golf regional is the first major men’s collegiate competition hosted by the University of Arkansas in the past 30 years. The Razorbacks hosted the 2000 Southeastern Conference Women’s Championship at Pinnacle Country Club and are scheduled to host the 2012 SEC Women’s Championship at the Blessings.