Arkansas Vaults Up Leaderboard at NCAA Regionals

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KOHLER, Wisc. – The 21st-ranked and fourth-seeded Arkansas men’s golf team was one of three teams under par Tuesday during the second round of the NCAA Kohler Regional, posting a 4-under 284 to move up three spots into fourth place at the Meadow Valleys Course at Blackwolf Run.

With the top five teams advancing to the NCAA Championship later this month in Eugene, Oregon, the Razorbacks moved eight shots inside the cut line, leading fifth place Idaho by six strokes and sixth place Baylor by eight shots.

The top four seeds are holding serve through the first two days, as No. 16 Florida continues to lead the way at 11-under, while No. 4 Illinois (-4), No. 10 Florida State (-2) and No. 21 Arkansas (E) are all at even-par or better and on pace to advance.

Senior Taylor Moore took the team on his back with an eagle and four birdies to post a 3-under 69, tie for the low round of the day and move to T-6th overall at 74-69 – 143 (-1). He eagled his second hole of the day, before the flat stick caught fire on the back side and sank three straight birdie putts to post his sixth round at even-par or better in eight career rounds at NCAA Regionals.

Freshman Charles Kim continued to play well beyond his years, posting a 1-under 71 to move up to T-10th at 73-71 – 144 (E). On his final two holes that played a combined 56-over par on the day, he went birdie, birdie, posting two of the nine birdies on the holes throughout the course of the second round. No other team as a whole combined to birdie both holes in the round.

Nicolas Echavarria recorded an eagle and one birdie to finish his round at even par, good for T-18th overall at 73-72 – 145 (+1). He nearly chipped in on the final hole of the day, rimming out a chip shot from the rough, but he tapped in for par to stay at 1-over for the championship.

Kolton Crawford bogeyed his third hole, but caught fire from there, posting four birdies in a seven-hole span. He finished at even-par on the round, good for T-55th overall at 78-72 – 150 (+6). Alvaro Ortiz recorded a team-high five birdies on the day, but five bogeys and a triple bogey dropped him to T-38th overall at 72-75 – 147 (+3).

Arkansas is looking to advance to its fifth NCAA Championship in the last eight years with a top five finish Wednesday afternoon. The Razorbacks will go off the No. 1 tee for the final round at 7:50 a.m. CDT, playing with Idaho and Baylor.

@RazorbackMGolf Lineup (Round Two)

PlacePlayerScore
T6.Taylor Moore74-69 – 143 (-1)
T10.Charles Kim73-71 – 144 (E)
T18.Nicolas Echavarria73-72 – 145 (+1)
T38.Alvaro Ortiz72-75 – 147 (+3)
T55.Kolton Crawford78-72 – 150 (+6)

NCAA Kohler Regional Results (Round Two)

PlaceTeamScore
1.No. 16 Florida283-282 – 565 (-11)
2.No. 4 Illinois289-283 – 572 (-4)
3.No. 10 Florida State284-290 – 574 (-2)
4.No. 21 Arkansas292-284 – 576 (E)
5.Idaho283-299 – 582 (+6)
6.No. 28 Baylor292-292 – 584 (+8)
7.South Dakota St.290-297 – 587 (+11)
T8.No. 45 Kent State288-300 – 588 (+12)
T8.UCLA294-294 – 588 (+12)
T8.ETSU295-293 – 588 (+12)
11.No. 33 Penn State294-296 – 590 (+14)
12.No. 40 Memphis298-294 – 592 (+16)
13.Campbell297-301 – 598 (+22)

For more information on Arkansas men’s golf, follow @RazorbackMGolf on Twitter.