An outstanding start gave way to a frustrating finish for the Arkansas men's golf team in Monday's opening round of the NCAA Kohler (Wis.) Regional.
The No. 21 Razorbacks finished the day at 4-over par and tied for seventh place with Baylor in the 54-hole regional. Florida and Idaho led the field at Blackwolf Run's Meadow Valley course at 5 under, followed by Florida State at 4 under.
Kent State finished the round in fourth place at even par, followed by No. 4 Illinois (1 over) and South Dakota State (2 over).
The top five teams from each of six regionals will make up the field for the NCAA Championships in two weeks at Eugene, Ore.
Behind the Razorbacks are UCLA (6 over), Penn State (6 over), East Tennessee State (7 over), Campbell (9 over) and Memphis (10 over).
Arkansas posted six birdies on its first four holes and was briefly atop the leaderboard at 5 under, but the Hogs' scores inflated as the morning round advanced.
Arkansas sophomore Alvaro Ortiz led the Razorbacks with an even par 72 and is tied for 16th place in the individual standings, three shots behind co-leaders Hank Lebioda of Florida State, Grant Smith of South Dakota State and Idaho's Daniel Sutton and Ryan Porch.
Arkansas freshman Charles Kim birdied three of his first four holes and was under par until a double-bogey on his last hole left him at 1-over 73.
Razorbacks senior Nicolas Echavarria had four birdies and five bogeys to finish at 73 as well, while senior Taylor Moore, the Hogs' top player, shot a 2-over 74 and is tied for 41st.
Senior Kolton Crawford, in the five spot, had a triple-bogey 7 on the par-4 13th hole and finished with a 6-over 78.
Arkansas, teeing off with Baylor and Penn State on No. 10, made the turn at 1 under, but the Hogs lost five strokes to par on the front nine.
The Razorbacks played the par 5s in 7 under, third best on the day behind Florida (12 under) and East Tennessee State (8 under). But the Hogs were second-to-last on the par 4s at 1 over, ahead of only Memphis. Arkansas also tied with Florida State for the second-most birdies (18), behind only Idaho (19).
The Razorbacks will be paired today with Baylor and UCLA, and will start on the back nine again at 8 a.m.
Sports on 05/17/2016