FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas graduate senior John Driscoll III fired another 4-under-par 68 and leads by four shots while the #11 Razorbacks fired a 4-under-par 284 and lead the fourth annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational by six shots as their 36-hole score of 563 (-13) is a two-round record at the event.
Due to weather concerns on Wednesday, tee times have been moved up with the first groups starting at 7:45 am. The Arkansas men’s “B” team will start at 8:30 am off hole 1. The “A” team will go off #1 as well at 10:00 am.
Driscoll was not the only Razorback to post a 4-under 68 as fellow graduate senior Mateo Pulcini, playing for the Arkansas “B” team, matched the 68.
Two teams – #20 Mississippi State and #3 Washington – shot 7-under and made a run at Arkansas in round two, but the Razorbacks’ nine-stroke lead after day one kept the home team comfortably in the lead. The squad posted three birdies on holes 2, 5, 8 and 13 to help set the record.
Miss State is -7 (569) after 36 holes and Washington is +1 (577). The Bulldogs’ Hunter Logan moved up 12 spots into a tie for second with a 5-under-par 67 to lead MSU. Washington’s Petr Hruby was 3-under, moved up 13 spots into a tie for sixth and led the Huskies charge.
Arkansas “B” is in fourth with a 36-hole score of 583 (+7). The fivesome had four birdies and a par on the par-5, 15th hole.
After a par on hole one, Driscoll had back-to-back birdies then got to 3-under with a birdie on hole 8. He dropped a shot on hole nine but bounced back with a birdie on 10. After a string of pars, including a nice par save on hole 12, Driscoll rolled In a birdie on the par-3, 17th. He closed the day with a par on the 18th to shoot his second 68 and is -8 (136) for 36 holes.
Pulcini opened his day with a bogey on hole 10 and a double bogey on hole 11. However, he was bogey-free the last 16 holes with seven birdies – including three straight on holes 4, 5 and 6 – to shoot his 68. He moved 18 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for 11th (76-68+144 / E).
Thomas Curry was the only other Razorback under par on Tuesday with a 1-under 71. He moved up to 16th (tie) with a 36-hole score of 145. Manuel Lozada was 1-over but stayed inside the top five at T4 (69-73=142 / -2).
John Daly II turned in an even-par 72 for the second-straight day and is tied for 11th at 144. Also tied for 11th is Jacob Skov Olesen (70-74=144).
For Team “B,” Matthis Lefevre is tied for sixth. After an opening-round 70, the junior shot 73 on Tuesday and is 1-under (143) through 36 holes. Christian Castillo was even on day two and is tied for 18th with a 2-over-par 146 (74-72). Kaelen Dulany is tied for 37th (78-74=152 / +8) and Matthew Griggs is tied for 39th (76-77=153 / +9).
BLESSINGS COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL
Oct. 2-4 • 18 holes each day
Blessings Golf Club
Fayetteville, Ark.
Par 72 || 7,720 yards (M)
Team Results Thru Rd2:
1 #11 Arkansas “A” 279-284=563 (-13)
2 #20 Mississippi State 288-281=569 (-7)
3 #3 Washington 296-281=577 (+1)
4 Arkansas “B” 296-287=583 (+7)
5 Kentucky 293-297=583 (+14)
6 Minnesota 299-292=591 (+15)
7 Clemson 297-296=593 (+17)
8 NC State 299-295=594 (+18)
9 South Carolina 302-298=600 (+24)
10 North Texas 317-287=604 (+28)
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