Arkansas began its 2025-26 men’s golf season with a tie for third place at the Carmel Cup, held at Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California. The Razorbacks, ranked 34th in the preseason coaches poll, finished with an 11-under-par total of 1,069 after rounds of 364, 347, and 358.
The team tied with #8 Oklahoma for third place. Vanderbilt, ranked 12th, led throughout the tournament and won with a score of 1,063 (-17). Oklahoma State, which is ranked first and is the defending national champion, secured second place with a score of 1,066 (-14).
Sophomore Erich Fortlage was Arkansas’s top performer. He shot a final-round 68 (4-under) to finish tied for sixth overall at six under par (71-71-68=210). “He started the final round with a birdie on the par-4, 2nd. He added birdies on holes 4 and 9. After dropping a shot on 12, he responded with birdies on holes 13 and 15 to secure his final-round 68.” This result marked Fortlage’s fourth career top-10 finish in just thirteen events.
Three Razorbacks—John Daly II, Niilo Maki-Petaja, and Thomas Curry—tied for nineteenth place at even par over three rounds. Each recorded a score of one-over-par (73) during Sunday’s play.
Gerardo Gomez also posted an under-par round on Sunday for Arkansas. His one-under-par 71 moved him up two spots to finish twenty-sixth overall at two over par (73-74-71=218). Cam Smith completed the lineup for Arkansas by shooting a final-round 76 to tie for twenty-seventh place at three over par.
Next on the schedule for Arkansas is the Bearcat Invitational at Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati from September 15–16.
### Final Results ###
1. #12 Vanderbilt: -17 (352-346-365=1063)
2. #1 Oklahoma State: -14 (361-352-353=1066)
T3. #34 Arkansas: -11 (364-347-358=1069)
T3. #8 Oklahoma: -11 (363-354-352=1069)
T5. #15 Texas Tech: +7 (365-366-356=1087)
T5. #38 TCU: +7 (358-366-363=1087)
7. #23 Georgia: +8 (367-361-360=1068)
8. #42 Mississippi State: +18 (363-370-356=1098)
For more information on Arkansas Men’s Golf visit their official X and Instagram pages.
