Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — Neo Berg teed off Tuesday as an individual, so his score wasn’t going to count toward the Arkansas team total.
The freshman went out and posted the low round of the day anyway.
Berg carded a 7-under 64 in the final round of the Bryan Bros Collegiate at Solina Golf Club.
Nobody else in the field shot better than 66.
His teammates had a solid afternoon too. The No. 13 Razorbacks shot 10-under 274 and moved up two spots to finish second at 18-under 834.
It came down to one stroke. No. 26 Ole Miss won at 19-under 833, and No. 45 Liberty landed in third, another shot back.
Erich Fortlage finished second on the individual board for the Hogs. Thomas Curry wasn’t far behind in seventh.
Arkansas got hot late, going 8-under over its last eight holes. For a little while both the team and Fortlage were tied for the lead. Ole Miss had an answer, though.
“As well as we played, you have to give Ole Miss credit,” head coach Brad McMakin said. “Their short game was good all three rounds and made some long putts down the stretch to get the win.”
How Berg built his 64
The Svanesund, Sweden, native made nine birdies and two bogeys on a par-71 course that played at 6,827 yards.
He got going early with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 4. A bogey at the par-4 fifth cost him a shot. Then he closed out the front side with back-to-back birdies on 8 and 9.
His back nine looked a lot like his front nine. Birdies came on 11, 12 and 13. Berg bogeyed 14, got that one back on 15 and parred his way in.
Here’s what makes it stand out. The day before, Berg shot 86. That’s a 22-stroke turnaround in one round.
No Razorback freshman has ever gone lower than 64 except Darren Holder, who shot 63 at the TaylorMade Intercollegiate back in 2002-03.
Berg shares that 64 with four other Hogs who did it as rookies: Julian Perico, Nicolas Echavarria, Sebastian Cappelen and Ethan Tracy.
Across the whole program, only two players have beaten 64 in an 18-hole round. Fifteen others have matched it, and Berg’s the newest name on that list. It’s also the lowest round by an Arkansas golfer in eight seasons. The last one came from Perico, who shot a 6-under 64 in the fall of 2018.
McMakin credits his veterans
The Hogs gave themselves a lot of ground to make up. They opened with a 284, then came back with rounds of 276 and 274.
“We put ourselves in a hole after the first round,” McMakin said. “But I am really proud of the way we fought back and played the final two rounds. Erich, Thomas and Gerry (Gerardo Gomez) played like the proven veterans they are. Them playing those seven holes (11 through 17) at a combined 13-under was impressive.”
Fortlage has now finished in the top two three times in his career, with a win and a pair of runner-up finishes. He’s got seven career top-5 finishes.
Curry had a rough start. He was 3-over through three holes before playing his final 15 at 7-under, and that stretch included an eagle, five birdies and a bogey. He’s cracked the top 10 at both Arkansas events this fall. That’s nine top-10 finishes in his career.
Gomez opened with a bogey and didn’t make another one. He added an eagle and three birdies for a 67, which moved him up 27 spots to a tie for 18th. It’s his second top-20 finish this season and the 15th of his career.
Niilo Maki-Petaja picked up five spots on the last day to tie for 26th. Lev Grinberg shot even par again and climbed nine spots to tie for 36th.
The Razorbacks head home for a quick turnaround. They’ll host the seventh annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational, presented by Tyson Foods, Oct. 3-5.
