Arkansas men’s golf builds 13-shot lead at Blessings Collegiate

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Erich Fortlage made a double bogey on his first hole Saturday.

He finished that same nine with six straight 3s.

That’s about how the day went for Arkansas at Blessings Golf Club. Even the bad stuff didn’t last long.

The Razorbacks shot a 15-under-par 273 to open the seventh annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational, and they lead by 13 shots with two rounds left.

Thirteen. After 18 holes.

It’s the Hogs’ own tournament, presented by Tyson Foods, and they didn’t act like polite hosts.

North Texas is the closest team at 2-under 286. It’s also the only other one in the field that broke par.

UNC Greensboro is third at 289, and Southern Miss is next at 291.

A round that landed in the record book

You don’t see a 273 out there often. It’s the second-lowest single round in the tournament’s history.

It also ties for the seventh-best single round Arkansas has ever posted.

What stands out is how many players had a hand in it.

All five in the lineup are inside the top 11, and four of those are in the top five.

Two more Razorbacks playing as individuals are in the top 20.

Niilo Maki-Petaja had the best card of the bunch, a 5-under 67 that has him in second place.

He birdied his first hole, the 607-yard, par-5 10th, and never made a bogey on that nine. He turned at 5 under.

The second nine was a wash. Two bogeys, two birdies, same number.

Grinberg, Fortlage and Curry stay close

Lev Grinberg is a shot behind him in third at 4 under.

Grinberg made eight birdies, more than anybody else on the team. The last one came on his final hole, the 421-yard, par-4 ninth.

Fortlage is tied for fourth at 3 under, which is a pretty good spot for a guy who began with a double.

His run of 3s went par, birdie, eagle, birdie, par, birdie.

Thomas Curry shares fourth with him. Curry was 1 over through three holes, then didn’t make a bogey the rest of the way and picked up four birdies over his last 15.

Willie Gordon had to work harder for his score. The Hot Springs native was even at the turn, then dropped to 2 over after 13 holes.

He answered with birdies on the sixth, seventh and eighth, then parred his last for a 71. He’s tied for eighth at 1 under.

Guus Lafeber is tied for 19th at 1 over.

Two holes the Hogs owned

So where did all those red numbers come from? Start with the 15th and 18th.

Those played as the sixth and ninth holes of the day for the Hogs.

The 15th is a 663-yard par 5. Nine Arkansas players went through it and came out with an eagle, six birdies and two pars.

The 18th, a 478-yard par 4, gave up seven birdies and two pars.

That’s seven of nine under par on both holes, and not a bogey on either.

Round two of three is Sunday.

The tournament wraps up Monday, and the Razorbacks have given themselves plenty of room to work with.