SAN JOSE del CABO, Mexico — Arkansas freshman Wil Gibson shot a career-low, 2-under-par 69 and is tied for eighth after the opening round of the Querencia Cabo Collegiate.
The Razorbacks are 13th after day one of three at the Querencia Golf Club (par 71/6,928 yards).
Gibson, who is three strokes off the lead and playing as an individual, started his round with a birdie on the par-4, 17th hole and, two holes later, got to 2-under with a birdie on the par-4, 1st hole.
Gibson fell back to even par after dropping shots on holes 3 and 5.
However, he birdied the par-3, 8th and par-4, 13th to get back to 2-under-par. After a bogey on the 15th hole, Gibson closed his round with his fifth birdie of the day on the par-4 16th hole for his 69.
His previous best round was an even-par 70 at the Sea Best Invitational last month.
Ninth-ranked Arizona State leads the team competition, a field that features 11 of the nation’s top 50 teams, after shooting a 15-under-par 269.
Top-ranked Oklahoma State is second (277) with No. 36 Baylor (278), No. 48 Ole Miss (281) and No. 3 Vanderbilt (285) rounding out the top five. Arkansas, ranked 32nd nationally, is 13th with a score of 305.
Julian Perico matched Gibson’s total of five birdies in the opening round and is tied for 27th with an opening-round score of 1-over-par 72.
Rounding out the Razorback quintet are Mason Overstreet (t-51st, 76); Tyson Reeder (t-51st, 76); William Buhl (70th, 81) and Luis Garza (72nd, 83).
The Querencia Cabo Collegiate will continue with 18 holes Monday and 18 final holes on Tuesday.
