The Arkansas men’s golf team secured a decisive victory at the sixth annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational, presented by Tyson Foods, held at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks finished with a 54-hole score of 861 (-3), finishing 17 strokes ahead of their nearest competitor.
All five Arkansas team members placed among the top 11. John Daly II won the individual title, while Cam Smith and Erich Fortlage tied for third, Gerardo Gomez tied for fifth, and Niilo Maki-Petaja tied for 11th. Thomas Curry, competing as an individual, tied for 20th place.
Arkansas also combined efforts with its women’s team to win the overall combined team title. Together, they shot 11-under par and defeated Louisville’s men’s and women’s teams by a margin of 77 strokes.
The Razorbacks’ final round score of 279 (-9) ties for the third-best single-round total in tournament history. Their overall margin of victory is the second largest since the event began.
During Wednesday’s final round, Arkansas started strong with early birdies from Smith, Gomez, and Maki-Petaja. Despite three bogeys on the seventh hole, they recovered on the back nine with additional birdies and an eagle from Fortlage on the par-4 eleventh hole.
The race for individual honors was competitive until the last holes. Six players contended: Daly II, Fortlage, Smith, Gomez (all from Arkansas), Warren Thomis and Cooper Claycomb (both from Louisville). Thomis finished even through 54 holes after a final-round birdie but could not surpass Daly II. Claycomb finished two over par after late birdies.
John Daly II secured his second career win with a final-round score of 69 (-3) and a total of 214 (-2). He made key birdies on holes five and eight before playing a bogey-free back nine that included two more birdies. Despite facing difficulty off the tee on his final hole—his ball landing near a fairway bunker—Daly reached the green in regulation and two-putted to clinch victory.
“It was his second career victory, winning the 36-hole Columbia Spring Invitational last spring. It was also his second win at the Blessings Golf Club as he shot a 9-under 278 over four days to win the Southern Amateur this past July.”
Gerardo Gomez posted his first career top-five finish after shooting a personal best round of five under par (67). After an early bogey on hole one, he played seven under through twelve holes before slipping back with another bogey late in his round.
Smith closed strongly with five birdies over his last nine holes; Fortlage recorded both an eagle and a birdie to finish one over par for third place.
Arkansas will complete its fall schedule at the Fallen Oak Invitational in Mississippi from October 18-20.
Final results show Arkansas leading at -3 (861), followed by Louisville (+14), Brigham Young (+28), Kansas State (+31), Mississippi State (+42), Missouri (+43), Washington State (+47), Kent State (+50), Maryland (+57), and UNC Greensboro (+61).
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