Hogs take 3rd in SEC stroke play

Arkansas shot a 3-over par 287 on Tuesday in the final round of stroke play to place third at the SEC Match Play event hosted by Jerry Pate at the Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, Ala.

The No. 27 Razorbacks, who were in second behind No. 6 Auburn after 36 holes, finished the three rounds at 25-under par, the fifth-best 54-hole score in school history.

Auburn pulled away to claim the No. 1 seed at 41 under par, while No. 3 Vanderbilt jumped ahead of the Hogs to finish at 28 under and set up a championship match against the Tigers.

Arkansas, which is 5-0 in the history of fall SEC Match Play, will take on Ole Miss today in the third-fourth place matchup. The Razorbacks went 4-0 to take the inaugural match play title at Blessings Golf Club in 2021, then beat Kentucky in a single round of match play last year.

Arkansas’ Jacob Skov Olesen followed up his rounds of 68 and 67 on Monday with a 4-under 67 to finish in a tie for sixth place at 9 under for the event. Olesen notched his first top 10 showing of the season and the seventh of his career.

The Razorbacks had two other golfers place in the top 20: John Driscoll II, who had a sizzling 65 in the second round, tied for 11th at 7 under after finishing up with a 2-over 73. Driscoll now has two top 11 finishes as a Razorback.

John Daly II fired an even par 71 on Tuesday to complement his rounds of 68 and 69 and he tied for 17th place at 5 under. He has placed in the top 20 of both events this fall.

Thomas Curry carded a 74 on Tuesday after consecutive 68s on Monday and the freshman came in tied for 25th at 3 under in his collegiate debut.

Manuel Lozada struggled to a 76 on Tuesday and came in 51st place at 4 over.

The Razorbacks finished ahead of seven top 25 programs at the event: No. 8 Florida, No. 12 Tennessee, No. 13 Alabama, No. 17 Texas A&M, No. 21 Mississippi State and No. 24 Ole Miss.

After wrapping up SEC Match Play today, the Razorbacks will turn around and host the Blessings Collegiate Invitational on Oct. 2-4.