Incredible finish has Arkansas moving on to NCAA Championships

NORMAN, Okla. — Paced by a 5-under 67 from sophomore William Buhl, 15th-ranked Arkansas rallied and earned a trip to the 2018 NCAA Championship on Wednesday.

The Razorbacks opened the final day of the 2018 NCAA Norman Regional in 10th place but moved up six spots after carding the second-best round of the day with an 8-under 280.

They vaulted up the leaderboard and edged No. 22 Florida State tying for fourth place to move on to the NCAA Championship in Stillwater, Oklahoma, next week.

Arkansas wrapped up the three-day event shooting 288-293-280=861.

Alvaro Ortiz posted a 2-under 69 moving up 13 spots in the final round. He finished as the low man for Arkansas tying for 12th place overall shooting 74-71-69=214 (-2).

Buhl made the biggest jump climbing 25 points into a tie for 18th overall. The sophomore carded rounds of 69-79-67=215 (-1).

Tyson Reeder had his best round of the tournament moving up 11 spots into a tie for 32nd. Reeder finished 3-over shooting 76-72-71=219.

Mason Overstreet and Luis Garza rounded out the Razorback scoring. Overstreet finished tied for 38th with a five-over 72-76-73=221. Garza tied for 49th overall shooting 73-74-77=224.

Arkansas made the turn at 1-under after starting their day on the ninth hole. Ortiz picked up an eagle on No. 3 and went birdie-birdie on the 16th and 17th holes of his round.

Overstreet also carded back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8. Buhl was solid all day playing the first nine 4-under.

He picked up two more birdies on the front side of the course helping Arkansas move up.

The Razorbacks move on to the NCAA Championships making its 21st appearance as a team.

The program’s best finish is a second-place showing in 2009 and Overstreet advanced to the NCAA Championship as an individual last season playing to a runner-up finish.

Host No. 3 Oklahoma won the event edging No. 29 BYU and No. 27 North Florida by a stroke.

The Sooners finished with an 850 followed by an 851 from the Cougars and the Ospreys. Arkansas tied Auburn and the Tigers also move on.

Team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 25-30 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The 2018 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships will be broadcast for the fifth consecutive year by Golf Channel with more than 100 news and tournament hours planned again for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships

Arkansas will host the 2019 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships next spring at The Blessings.

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The Field