Meason leads men's golf at John Hayt

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Junior William Meason fired a career low round of one-under par, 71, to lead the No. 14 University of Arkansas men’s golf team at the John Hayt Invitational on Sunday afternoon at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Meason’s round allowed the Razorbacks to combine for a score of five-over par which ties them for ninth in the tournament which features six top 25 teams.  Host and No. 25 North Florida is scorching the course at 12-under par and hold a six-shot lead over No. 11 Duke.  Central Florida is the only other team under par at -2.

Two-over par through 12 holes, Meason had a tremendous finish with three birdies over his final six holes including one on the par 5, 18th.  He played the front nine at two-over par, but found his rhythm on No. 10 with his first birdie and used it to shoot three-under par on back side.

Junior Sebastian Cappelen opened his round with back-to-back bogeys, but sank a pair of birdies before making the turn at even par.  He sank six par putts on the back side before a birdie on No. 16, but an ill-timed bogey on the 18th ended his round at even par.

Senior Austin Cook and sophomore Thomas Sorensen rounded out the Razorback score with rounds of three-over par.  Cook grinded out his score with four birdies and seven bogeys.  Two-over par at the turn, Cook quickly found himself back at even after back-to-back birdies on No. 10 and No. 11.  Unfortunately, those under par rounds were followed by four straight bogeys and he concluded the day with a birdie on No. 18.

Sorensen was on his way to a very good score of one-over par as he stepped onto the 17th tee, but a tough double bogey on the par 4 hole sent his score to three-over par where it would stay after his par on No. 18.  For the round, Soerensen sank a pair of birdies, three bogeys and the double.

Freshman Taylor Moore was unable to sink any birdie putts on the front nine as he made his turn at four-over par, but did capitalize on some opportunities on the back nine to finish at five-over par.  Moore finished with a birdie on No. 18, his third of the day, but eight bogeys also filled his score sheet.

Competing as an individual, freshman Nicholas Echavarria put together a fantastic effort when he shot two-under par to tie for 10th individually.  Echavarria played the back nine of Sawgrass at three-under par including birdies on No. 15, 17 and 18.  After starting on No. 10, he gave three strokes back while playing the front nine, but his three bogeys were countered by five birdies in total.  Echavarria is six strokes off the lead and just two out of second place.

The Razorbacks return to the course on Monday morning at 8 a.m. with players from No. 7 Florida and UAB.