FAYETTEVILLE — The University of Arkansas men’s team will join 12 other programs that will take on the Grayhawk Golf Club Course in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the NCAA Championships for all three seasons of its expiring contract with the NCAA.
Coach Brad McMakin’s Razorback broke multiple school records while shooting a 43-under at the NCAA Salem (S.C.) Regional earlier this week at The Cliffs at Keowee Course to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
Arkansas will join the following programs in playing Grayhawk at each NCAA Championship event held there: Arizona State, East Tennessee State, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pepperdine, Texas, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. The total field at Grayhawk will be 30 teams plus individual qualifiers when the championships tee off May 26.
The Razorbacks finished ninth after three rounds of stroke play last year, one spot out of the eight-team match play portion of the championship. The Longhorns captured last year’s NCAA title.
Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville was the last course to host the NCAA Championships in 2019 before the event was moved to Grayhawk. The NCAA’s contract with Grayhawk was originally set to run from 2020-22, but after covid knocked out the 2020 event, the NCAA extended the deal for another season.
The Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif., is scheduled to host the NCAAs from 2024-26.
Arkansas seniors Segundo Oliva Pinto, who tied for fifth at 13 under, and Wil Gibson (-11) broke the school’s regional record for a low 54-hole score, and senior Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira (-10) tied the old record.
All five Razorbacks finished under par at an NCAA regional for the first time, with Manuel Lozada (-6) and Julian Perico (-3) also accomplishing the feat.
Arkansas broke school records for lowest one-round score (266) and lowest score in relation to par (-22), lowest 36-hole score (537) by 12 strokes and in relation to par (-39) by 13 strokes, and lowest 54-hole score (819) by five strokes and relation to par (-45) by seven.