FAYETTEVILLE — Julian Perico said Monday he shot a 64 at Blessings Golf Club, the home course for the University of Arkansas golf team.
On Tuesday, Blessings general manager Richard Cromwell said he had heard about the round and was seeking out Perico to look at the scorecard to verify the round and certify it as a course record.
“It would be a course record,” Cromwell told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “He just shot it, so I have to see him, see his scorecard, see that he played from the back [tees] … just to confirm it.”
Current Arkansas senior Mason Overstreet and former Oklahoma State All-American Matthew Wolff hold the course record at 66. Wolff, now a PGA pro, won the 2019 NCAA men’s individual title at Blessings by five strokes.
Arkansas Coach Brad McMakin said Perico fired a 64 from the member’s tees in a “fun” round Saturday, then took Arkansas junior transfer Segundo Oliva Pinto out for a late afternoon round Monday and fired another 64 from the “black” tees, the longest on the course.
In an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette around midday Monday between the 64s, Perico said, “I shot 64 at the Blessings the other day, so I’m back.”
When a reporter mentioned the 64 could be a course record, he replied, “Could be, yeah. I don’t pay much attention to that stuff, but could be.”
He posted a picture on his Twitter account Monday night around twilight announcing the feat from that day.
Cromwell said the back tees equate to more than 7,600 yards.
“On this golf course, it’s pretty incredible,” McMakin said. “The thing about the Blessings is on the Zoysia fairways you don’t get any roll. When you’re out there from the blacks at 7,600 yards and you’re playing no roll, you’re playing it all carry and it plays about 8,000 yards.
“It’s kind of continued his good play that he’s had this summer. He’s on a heater.”
McMakin said Perico birdied nine of the first 12 holes in his Saturday round. On Monday, Perico made an eagle on No. 2, had six birdies and no bogeys, according to McMakin.
“That’s hard to do going around this course without a bogey,” McMakin said.
Perico, Oliva Pinto, and Arkansas seniors William Buhl and Overstreet have all qualified for the U.S. Amateur championship, which is scheduled for next Monday through Sunday at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.