Razorbacks better, but still in 10th

Arkansas' Segundo Oliva Pinto won the individual title at the 2021 SEC Men's Golf Championships. (Photo courtesy Arkansas Athletics)

FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks rallied early and fell back late before wrapping up the second round of the SEC Men’s Golf Championships with a 4-under 276 on Thursday at St. Simon’s Island, Ga.

Arkansas made a 12-stroke improvement from Wednesday’s opening round, but Coach Brad McMakin’s crew sits five shots out of the top eight heading into the final round of stroke play. Just past the middle point of the round, the Razorbacks reached 9 under and inside the top eight before fading late.

The top eight teams are all under par after more favorable scoring conditions at the par 70 Sea Island Golf Club. The field will be reduced to the top eight teams after today’s round and seeded for three rounds of match play starting Saturday morning.

No. 3 Vanderbilt leads the tourney at 13-under par, followed by No. 16 Florida (9 under), which grabbed the lead for part of the day. No. 25 LSU sits in third at 7 under, followed by No. 19 Texas A&M (6 under), No. 14 Auburn (4 under), No. 12 Georgia (3 under), Missouri (2 under) and Mississippi State (1 under).

The Razorbacks are four shots behind ninth-place Tennessee, which is at even par.

The Volunteers turned in the day’s best round at 12 under, followed by Florida (11 under) and Auburn (10 under).

Texas A&M’s Phichaksn Maichon fired a second consecutive 67 to reach 6 under for the tourney and overtake first-round leader Ryan Hall of South Carolina, who is among six players two shots back.

Florida’s John Dubois carded a 6-under 64, surging 31 spots to join the group at 4-under 136.

The Razorbacks, last year’s runners-up to Vanderbilt, were led by 2021 SEC individual champion Segundo Oliva Pinto and Wil Gibson, who both shot 68. Oliva Pinto had 5 birdies and 3 bogeys, while Gibson posted 3 birdies and 1 bogey.

Luke Long is tied for 23rd after a second-round 69 left him at even par. Julian Perico was at 3 under for the day through 14 holes, but the senior gave back four strokes in three holes and finished with a 71 to sit at 3 over.

Arkansas junior Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira had 16 pars, 1 birdie and 1 double bogey in his round of 1-over 71 and is tied for 41st place with Perico and Gibson, while Oliva Pinto is tied for 29th.

The final four spots are held by No. 22 South Carolina (10 over), Kentucky (15 over), No. 21 Ole Miss (18 over) and Alabama (22 over).

The medalist will be recognized following today’s round.