For the 15 th time in program history, the No. 39 Arkansas men’s golf team will tee off in NCAA postseason play at the Central Regional beginning Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. The Razorbacks will compete as the No. 14 seed in the 27-team field at the par-71, 7, 419-yard Scarlet Golf Course.

Arkansas will be led by Andrew Landry who was named to the All-Southeastern Conference second team after posting a team-best 72. 61 scoring average and seven top-10 finishes this season. Last year, competing as an individual, the Razorback junior tied for sixth place at the Central Regional, missing the NCAA Championships by just two spots. Landry is the 51 st-ranked golfer in latest release of the Golfweek / Sagarin Performance Index.

Sam Chavez picked up the Razorbacks’ second postseason honor when he was named to the conference all-freshman team. Chavez cards a 74. 95 scoring average this season and has three top-20 results in seven appearances in the UA lineup. He turned in a season-best result with a share of second place at the Border Olympics that helped the Razorbacks to the team title.

Along with Landry and Chavez, the Arkansas lineup for the Central Regional is projected to include sophomore David Lingmerth and juniors Will Osborne and Jason Turner. The group of Razorbacks has competed together in the past five events and collected four top-five finishes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lingmerth is second on the team with a 73. 27 scoring average during his first season in Fayetteville. Osborne has appeared in the past five events for the Razorbacks and has picked up two top-20 results. Turner claimed his first career title in October at the Oklahoma Intercollegiate and is third on the team with a 74. 63 scoring average.

With the Razorbacks, the Central Regional features 15 teams ranked the top 50 of the Golfweek standings, including top-ranked Alabama and No. 5 Oklahoma State.

Arkansas is one of 11 teams from the SEC to advance to an NCAA Regional competition. The UA golfers are joined by Alabama, Florida and Tennessee in Columbus.

The last appearance in an NCAA Regional for the Razorbacks came during the 2004-05 season where they tied for sixth place and reached the NCAA Championships. Arkansas’ best finish in an NCAA Regional was a first-place result in 1991.

The top 10 teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team will advance to the NCAA Championships played May 28-31 in West Lafayette, Ind., at the Kampen Golf Course. Once play begins Thursday, a live scoreboard will be available at www. hogwired. com and www. golfstat. com.